What exactly happens when an electron gains energy?

  • Context: Undergrad 
  • Thread starter Thread starter Tuvshee
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Electron Energy
Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the concept of energy gain in electrons, particularly in relation to their transition between different atomic orbitals, such as from 1s to 2p. Participants explore the nature of energy storage in electrons, the implications of orbital shapes, and the relationship between energy levels and electron positioning relative to the nucleus.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant notes that the 1p orbital is at a higher energy state than the 1s orbital and questions how an electron "stores" energy during this transition.
  • Another participant compares the energy storage of electrons to that of Earth, suggesting a lack of meaningful answers beyond kinetic and potential energy descriptions.
  • There is a discussion about the average position of electrons in higher energy orbitals being further from the nucleus, with one participant emphasizing that higher energy orbitals generally correspond to greater average distances from the nucleus.
  • A participant introduces the idea that energy levels may differ due to fine-structure and relativistic effects, rather than just potential energy differences.
  • One participant uses an analogy involving swinging a ball on a rope to illustrate the concept of energy required to maintain different orbital states, suggesting that higher energy states require more energy to sustain.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express various viewpoints regarding the nature of energy transitions in electrons, with no consensus reached on the specifics of how energy is stored or the implications of orbital shapes. Some participants question the definitions and terminology used, indicating a lack of agreement on the foundational concepts.

Contextual Notes

There are unresolved assumptions regarding the definitions of orbitals and the nature of energy transitions. The discussion also reflects differing interpretations of how energy relates to electron movement and positioning.

Tuvshee
Messages
9
Reaction score
0
Ok, so I know that the 1p orbital is at a slightly higher energy state than the 1s orbital. And if an electron gets excited it can be promoted from the 1s to the 1p orbital. But what exactly is happening to the electron? How does it "store" the energy?

Since the s and p electrons overlap at some areas, the electron does not necessarily move away from the nucleus, does it? I mean an orbital is just the probability space of finding an electron, right? So switching from s to p, doesn't that just mean the probability of finding the electron was the spherical area, now it is the dumbbell space. How is this gaining energy?

I hope this makes sense. Or am I just completely wrong? :/
 
Physics news on Phys.org
How does Earth "store" energy?
I don't think this question has a meaningful answer (apart from the description as kinetic and potential energy), but if you find one, you can use it for the electron as well.
the electron does not necessarily move away from the nucleus, does it?
On average (in the expectation value), there can be a shift.

What is a 1p orbital, by the way? Do you mean 2p?
 
mfb said:
How does Earth "store" energy?
I don't think this question has a meaningful answer (apart from the description as kinetic and potential energy), but if you find one, you can use it for the electron as well.

On average, there can be a shift.

What is a 1p orbital, by the way? Do you mean 2p?

Yeah I meant 2s and 2p lol ^^'
I just want to know what difference there is between an electron with low energy and high energy. It's not like it's moving faster..
 
In general, the expectation value of the potential energy is different. If you look for energy levels which just differ by the fine-structure, relativistic effects instead of the potential energy might lead to the difference.
 
Tuvshee said:
Yeah I meant 2s and 2p lol ^^'
I just want to know what difference there is between an electron with low energy and high energy. It's not like it's moving faster..

In general, the higher energy orbitals ARE further from the nucleus on average, think 2s, 3s, and 4s versus 1s. The lowest energy, or ground, state of an electron in a hydrogen atom is the 1s orbital, and that energy is -13.6 eV. This is where the electron "wants" to be. Energy is added to the atom though the absorption of photons which "bump" the electron into higher energy states/orbitals which are, in general with trivial exceptions, further from the nucleus. Think of the energy it takes you to swing a ball on the end of a rope in a circle with a rope length/radius of one meter. Now think of doing the same with a rope length of 3 meters. It's going to take more energy to maintain that orbit with the 3 meter rope. To make the analogy consistent with your understanding of orbitals and probablilities, the radius of the 3 meter rope can vary depending on where the electron is within the orbital, but on the average the length of the rope is longer than in lower energy state orbitals. As you drive more energry into the system, the energy state of the electron moves through all the orbitals from -13.6 eV approaching 0 eV, at which point the electron is ejected, or ionized, from the atom. This is equivelant of swinging the rope so violently that the ball comes lose and flys off.

I wouldn't publish that analogy but I think its addresses the conceptual aspect of your question.
 

Similar threads

Undergrad Amount of electrons in nuclei
  • · Replies 10 ·
Replies
10
Views
2K
Undergrad Can an electron in the 1s orbital be indefinitely far from the nucleus?
  • · Replies 43 ·
2
Replies
43
Views
5K
High School What happens to excess energy when an electron gets excited by light?
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
2K
Undergrad "Wave-particle duality" and double-slit experiment
  • · Replies 36 ·
2
Replies
36
Views
9K
Undergrad Perturbation lines for the 1s hydrogen electron
  • · Replies 10 ·
Replies
10
Views
2K
High School What happens when ethane absorbs UV light?
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
2K
Undergrad Quantum Mechanics as a Probabilistic forecast of reality
  • · Replies 21 ·
Replies
21
Views
2K
Undergrad Continuous Spectrum and Energy levels of Electrons (Energy Bands)
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
3K
Undergrad About the position of electrons (uncertainty)
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
4K
High School Can someone please explain to me the motion of an electron?
  • · Replies 11 ·
Replies
11
Views
3K