Do Polarized Atoms Imply Shifted Electron Orbitals?

In summary, when neutral atoms are polarized by ambient EM radiation, the behavior of orbitals depends on which states are being considered. In some cases, the electrons may shift orbitals while in others they may remain in the same levels but become deformed. To understand this further, one can research the Stark and Zeeman effect, with many resources available on YouTube.
  • #1
Getterdog
83
6
When neutral atoms become polarized from ambient EM radiation, does this automatically imply that electrons have shifted orbitals,or do they remain in the same levels but become deformed? Thanks
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
If you want to know how orbitals behave when an extern Electric or Magnetic field is present, then search for Stark and Zeeman effect. There are a lot of youtube videos
 
Last edited:
  • #3
Getterdog said:
When neutral atoms become polarized from ambient EM radiation, does this automatically imply that electrons have shifted orbitals,or do they remain in the same levels but become deformed? Thanks
It depends on which orbitals/levels you are talking about. If you are talking about the field-free states, than an external field leads to a superposition of these states. In other words, the polarised orbitals are linear combinations of the field-free orbitals.

At the same time, one can take the polarised orbitals as eigenstates of the Hamiltonian that includes the external field.

Usually, the first case is considered as external fields are usually weak and a perturbative approach is used.
 

What is a dipole moment?

A dipole moment is a measure of the separation of positive and negative charges within a molecule. It is a vector quantity that points from the negative to the positive charge.

How is dipole moment calculated?

Dipole moment is calculated by multiplying the magnitude of the charge separation by the distance between the two charges. This can be represented mathematically as μ = Qd, where μ is the dipole moment, Q is the charge separation, and d is the distance between the charges.

What is the relationship between dipole moment and polarity?

The dipole moment of a molecule is directly related to its polarity. A molecule with a non-zero dipole moment is considered polar, while a molecule with a zero dipole moment is considered nonpolar.

How does the dipole moment affect a molecule's physical properties?

The dipole moment of a molecule can affect its physical properties, such as boiling point, melting point, and solubility. This is because molecules with higher dipole moments have stronger intermolecular forces, making them more likely to interact and form bonds with other molecules.

How are dipole moments and orbitals related?

Dipole moments are related to the distribution of electrons in a molecule's orbitals. If there is an uneven distribution of electrons in the orbitals, it will result in a non-zero dipole moment. Additionally, the shape and orientation of the orbitals can also affect the magnitude and direction of the dipole moment.

Similar threads

Replies
10
Views
797
Replies
2
Views
1K
  • Quantum Physics
Replies
2
Views
397
  • Quantum Physics
Replies
6
Views
2K
Replies
10
Views
1K
  • Quantum Physics
Replies
21
Views
1K
  • Quantum Physics
2
Replies
36
Views
1K
Replies
2
Views
869
Replies
14
Views
944
Back
Top