Discreteness of Electron Orbits: Elliptical Shapes?

[mkbh_10]

We know that orientations of electron orbit are discrete , what exactly do you mean by discreteness ,& also is there any particular shape of orbits like an ellipse ?

 

[jtbell]

For a classical orbit, "discreteness" means that the plane of the orbit can only be oriented in certain directions but not in others. For a quantum-mechanical orbital, the electron doesn't move in a definite path like a satellite going around the Earth (so you can't talk about circles and ellipses), but you can still talk about the angular momentum vector being constrained to certain magnitudes and directions.

 

[denian]

I can clarify that when we say the orientations of electron orbits are discrete, we mean that they can only exist at specific energy levels or distances from the nucleus. This is due to the quantized nature of electron energies in an atom. The term "discrete" refers to the fact that these energy levels are distinct and cannot be broken down into smaller values.

As for the shape of electron orbits, they are indeed elliptical in nature. This is based on the mathematical equations that describe the motion of an electron in an atom. The shape of the orbit is determined by the balance between the attractive force of the nucleus and the repulsive force of the electron's own charge. This results in a stable elliptical orbit for the electron.

It is important to note that while the orbit is described as an ellipse, it is not a perfect shape. The electron's position is constantly changing and can be thought of as a cloud of probability rather than a precise path. This is due to the uncertainty principle in quantum mechanics.

In summary, the discreteness of electron orbits refers to their specific energy levels, and the shape of these orbits is elliptical, determined by the balance of attractive and repulsive forces.