Electrical forces, application of Colomb's law

In summary, Niels Bohr modeled the hydrogen atom with an electron in circular motion around a proton, using the equations Fe = (kQq)/r^2 and Fc = (mv^2)/r. He predicted the radius of the orbit to be 5.29x10^(-11) m and the speed of the electron to be \sqrt{(kQq)/(rm)}. The mass of the electron was found by looking it up online.
  • #1
Rijad Hadzic
321
20

Homework Statement


"In an early attempt to understand atomic structure, Niels Bohr modeled the hydrogen atom as an electron in uniform circular motion about a proton with the centripetal force caused by Colomb attraction. He predicted the radius of the electron's orbit to be 5.29x10^(-11) m. Calculate the speed of the electron and the frequency of its circular motion.

Homework Equations



Fe = (kQq)/r^2
Fc = (mv^2)/r
Ac = (v^2)/r

The Attempt at a Solution


[/B]
Honestly guys I this ones going to take me a while so please work with me.

What I don't understand is:

Wouldn't they have to give us the velocity of the electron? Because there is a tangential acceleration and then radial acceleration.

So Colombs force is the centripetal force, [itex] (kQq)/r^2 = (mv^2)/r [/itex]

[itex] (kQq)/r = mv^2 [/itex]

where k = 8.99 x 10^9, in this case proton has a charge of +e = 1.602 x 10^-19 C and electron has charge of -e = -1.602 x 10^-19 C, r = 5.29x10^11 m

so

[itex] ( (8.99 x 10^9)(1.602 x 10^{-19} C ) (-1.602 x 10^{-19} C ) ) / 5.29x10^{11} m = (mv^2) [/itex]

Does this seem right so far?

Now my concern is finding m. I'm not sure how to find the mass of an electron. The value is not given anywhere in my book... I'm really lost and this question is frustrating. If anyone can help I would appreciate it.
 
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  • #2
You will need to look up the mass of the electron. If it's not in your textbook, check the web. Otherwise, your work looks good.

You might need to reconsider your signs. Left side of your last equation is negative while right side is positive.

(Typo: 5.29x10^11 m would be a pretty large atom.)
 
  • #3
So would my answer be [itex] \sqrt{(kQq)/(rm)} = v [/itex] where k is constant Q is charge of proton q is charge of electron, r radius m mass??

?
 
Last edited:
  • #4
Rijad Hadzic said:
So would my answer be [itex] \sqrt{(kQq)/(rm)} = v [/itex] where k is constant Q is charge of proton q is charge of electron, r radius m mass??

?
Yes.
 

1. What is Colomb's law?

Colomb's law is a fundamental law of physics that describes the electrostatic interaction between two charged particles. It states that the force between two charged particles is directly proportional to the product of their charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.

2. How is Colomb's law applied in real-life situations?

Colomb's law is applied in a wide range of real-life situations, including the operation of electronic devices, the attraction and repulsion of magnets, and the behavior of atoms and molecules. It is also used in the study of electricity and magnetism in various fields such as engineering, physics, and chemistry.

3. What is the formula for calculating the force between two charged particles using Colomb's law?

The formula for calculating the force between two charged particles using Colomb's law is F = k * (q1 * q2) / r^2, where F is the force, k is the Coulomb's constant, q1 and q2 are the charges of the two particles, and r is the distance between them.

4. How does the distance between two charged particles affect the force between them?

The force between two charged particles is inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them. This means that as the distance between the particles increases, the force between them decreases. Similarly, as the distance decreases, the force between them increases.

5. What are the units of measurement for the force calculated using Colomb's law?

The units of measurement for the force calculated using Colomb's law are Newtons (N) in the SI system or dynes (dyn) in the CGS system. These units represent the amount of force required to accelerate a mass of one kilogram by one meter per second squared or one gram by one centimeter per second squared, respectively.

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