No charge polarization on positronium in p-orbital state ?

[xortdsc]

Hi,

as I understand it, in hydrogen with its electron in the p-orbital there is a charge polarization (negative in the direction of the dumb-bell orbitals, positive in the other directions).
Is this also the case for positronium in the p-orbital state ? I'd guess there cannot be any polarization, because the positron must always be on the opposite side as the electron (relative to their common center of mass). Is that right ?

 

[Bill_K]

as I understand it, in hydrogen with its electron in the p-orbital there is a charge polarization (negative in the direction of the dumb-bell orbitals, positive in the other directions).
Is this also the case for positronium in the p-orbital state ? I'd guess there cannot be any polarization, because the positron must always be on the opposite side as the electron (relative to their common center of mass). Is that right ?

If by charge polarization you mean electric dipole moment, then its nonzero for positronium in a p-state. Positive charge on one side, negative charge on the other, and the two particles are equidistant from their center of mass. That's an electric dipole.

 

[xortdsc]

yes, electric dipole moment is the proper term i was looking for.
Just to make sure I got it conceptually: So for hydrogen the negative charge is on the 2 "poles" and the positive charge is on the "equator", while for positronium there is one pole negative and one pole positive while the equator is neutral ?