What do we mean by minus energy ?

In summary, in quantum mechanics, the concept of "minus" energy refers to the relative energy of a particle compared to a defined state with zero energy. This can sometimes lead to negative energy states for bounded particles and positive energy states for unbounded particles. The reason for this is that energy differences are more important in processes rather than absolute energy values. However, in the context of Bohr's equation, the negative energy of an electron can be explained by the fact that its energy is constantly decreasing due to its attraction to the proton, which is considered to have zero energy before gravitational effects are taken into account. The significance of these negative energy states is still not fully understood.
  • #1
blue bloom
9
0
what do we mean by"minus" energy ??

in the classic physics the minus energy express the gain or loss of the particle ..but when we substitute in the quantum theory lows ,the electron has a minus energy ..I think the energy is not like the charge to be minus ..& I can not also imagine any particle even a small one have a minus energy ..!
 
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  • #2


Right, all particles in QM have plus energy.
 
  • #3


It just depends on how you define potential energy...
 
  • #4


The energy is taken relative to some state (which is defined to have zero energy -- this sometimes happens implicitly). The reason is that in any particular process you only talk about energy differences anyway.

On top of this: usually the negative energy states refer to bounded states, while positive energy states refer to unbounded states.
 
  • #5


xepma said:
On top of this: usually the negative energy states refer to bounded states, while positive energy states refer to unbounded states.

Exactly.

Bob_for_short said:
Right, all particles in QM have plus energy.

No, xepma has it right.
 
  • #6


xepma said:
On top of this: usually the negative energy states refer to bounded states, while positive energy states refer to unbounded states.

I think this is the logistic reply ..
I asked a teacher about this ,he told me that if we considered the energy between the electron & the proton equal zero before gravitation ,then the attraction would lead to lose energy & that make the energy of electron always minus (we find that in Bohr's equation)
but I still don't know what are the results of these sign??
 

What is "minus energy"?

"Minus energy" refers to a negative value of energy, which means that the system or object has less energy compared to a reference point or zero energy level.

How is "minus energy" different from positive energy?

"Minus energy" and positive energy are two different ways of representing the energy of a system. Positive energy indicates that the system has a certain amount of energy above the reference point, while minus energy indicates that the system has a certain amount of energy below the reference point.

What are some examples of systems with "minus energy"?

Some examples of systems with minus energy include objects at a lower potential energy compared to a reference point, such as a ball rolling downhill or an electron in a lower energy state in an atom.

Can "minus energy" exist in nature?

Yes, "minus energy" can exist in nature. It is a valid concept in physics and is used to describe the energy of certain systems or objects.

How is "minus energy" measured or calculated?

"Minus energy" can be measured or calculated using the same units as positive energy, such as joules (J) or electron volts (eV). However, the value will be negative to indicate that it is below the reference point.

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