Quantum mechanics hydrogen atom

Join the discussion
Registration is free. Ask a follow-up in this thread, or start your own.
2 replies · 4K views
sharma_satdev
Messages
33
Reaction score
0
The hydrogen atom is formed by the combination of proton and electron initially separated by infinite distance therefore energy of hydrogen atom is expected to be equal to loss of electrostatic potential energy but energy value as derived by quantum mechanics is different Why is it so
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Well, if what you are saying was strictly true, then the atom wouldn't even be in a bound state by conservation of energy arguments. What happens is that the electron releases some of its energy by radiation, and so becomes trapped in one of the energy levels explained by quantum mechanics. Over time, if there is no additional energy put into the system, the electron will eventually emit enough radiation to end up in the "ground state" (the lowest lying quantum state).
 
sharma_satdev said:
The hydrogen atom is formed by the combination of proton and electron initially separated by infinite distance therefore energy of hydrogen atom is expected to be equal to loss of electrostatic potential energy but energy value as derived by quantum mechanics is different Why is it so

You are ignoring that in the Schrödinger equation for the hydrogen atom, there is a kinetic energy part as well as the potential energy. Your comparison to the change in electrostatic potential ignores any kinetic energy of the electron.

Zz.