The Significance of Negative Energy in the Rutherford Model of the Atom

[AudioFlux]

The KE (kinetic energy) of an electron revolving around a nucleus is always positive, and the PE (potential energy) of an electron is negative (except at infinity, where it is zero). Here, I am speaking from the point of view of the Rutherford model. The material from which I am reading from says that the electron will not follow a closed orbit around the nucleus if the TE is positive. Also, I am aware of the fact that the magnitude of PE is twice of that of KE. So it is not surprising why the TE is is negative. But, I do not get the physical significance of negative energy. Can someone please tell me where I am going wrong...Thank you

 

[jtbell]

I do not get the physical significance of negative energy.

It means that you have to do positive work on the system (electron + nucleus) to separate it, that is, bring its total energy up to zero. We define the zero-point of energy in this situation to be when the electron and nucleus are "just barely unbound" from each other, infinitely far from each other and at rest.

 

[AudioFlux]

It means that you have to do positive work on the system (electron + nucleus) to separate it, that is, bring its total energy up to zero. We define the zero-point of energy in this situation to be when the electron and nucleus are "just barely unbound" from each other, infinitely far from each other and at rest.

OH! I get it now. Thanks a ton