What force prevents electrons from falling into the nucleus?

[Tim Edilation]

101 question, probably could find out by doing research but had luck on this forum on another topic, so ...

If electrons have 'negative' charge and nucleus is 'positive' what force keeps them apart ? Is it just a matter of them sort of 'orbiting' like the moon around the Earth where 'falling' at same rate as G or 'centripetal' force same as G ? I got the impression that the electrons move about with some randomness which I would have thought would mean that on closer approaches to nucleus would over time cause electron to fall down to nucleus. ?? Thanks for any insight

 

[ZapperZ]

101 question, probably could find out by doing research but had luck on this forum on another topic, so ...

If electrons have 'negative' charge and nucleus is 'positive' what force keeps them apart ? Is it just a matter of them sort of 'orbiting' like the moon around the Earth where 'falling' at same rate as G or 'centripetal' force same as G ? I got the impression that the electrons move about with some randomness which I would have thought would mean that on closer approaches to nucleus would over time cause electron to fall down to nucleus. ?? Thanks for any insight

Please start by reading the FAQ thread in the General Physics forum.

Zz.

 

[Tim Edilation]

Please start by reading the FAQ thread in the General Physics forum.

Zz.

Thanks, I don't know how i didn't see that, sorry

 

[Curl]

101 question, probably could find out by doing research but had luck on this forum on another topic, so ...

If electrons have 'negative' charge and nucleus is 'positive' what force keeps them apart ?

Fermi pressure

Is it just a matter of them sort of 'orbiting' like the moon around the Earth where 'falling' at same rate as G or 'centripetal' force same as G ? I got the impression that the electrons move about with some randomness which I would have thought would mean that on closer approaches to nucleus would over time cause electron to fall down to nucleus. ?? Thanks for any insight

No. When you are talking about particles that small, classical physics doesn't make sense. The electron doesn't "orbit" around the nucleus in the classical sense of the word.