Jump to content

Decreasing Energy due to attraction


Subham Roni

Recommended Posts

I am not sure what you mean by this question.

 

Do you mean the potential energy?

 

Do you mean that the potential energy is different for two particles that have no charge and two that do?

 

Do you mean the potential or total or kinetic energy changes if two charged particles mocve towards each other?

 

or What?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ok I am being specific why I asked the question.

Electrons have negative energy values. At infinite distance(out of boundary of atom) the electron is considered to have no energy at all as it isn't attracted by the protons. I understood this.

But as it moves closer to the nucleus, it is attracted by the protons and energy is released and energy of system decreases. Why?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ok I am being specific why I asked the question.

 

Electrons have negative energy values. At infinite distance(out of boundary of atom) the electron is considered to have no energy at all as it isn't attracted by the protons. I understood this.

But as it moves closer to the nucleus, it is attracted by the protons and energy is released and energy of system decreases. Why?

 

It depends on what "why" represents.

 

Energy is released, as you say. If you release energy, the energy you have goes down. That's how we balance the books: energy is conserved.

 

Another way of answering is: the force is attractive. The energy involved is the work; the incremental work is defined as dW = Fdx. Since the force is attractive the work is negative. As the electron approaches the proton the potential energy decreases (the work) but since energy is conserved, the kinetic energy increases. In atoms, though, there is the release of a photon, which is reduction of the energy of the system.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.