- #1
Mugen112
- 15
- 2
Homework Statement
In a classical model of the hydrogen atom, the electron moves around the proton in a circular orbit of radius 0.053 nm.
A) What is the electron's orbital frequency?
Homework Equations
F = qE
E= kq/r^2
angular velocity = v^2/r
The Attempt at a Solution
I'm developing a sever hate for Physics. This problem seems to be an easier problem, yet I still can't seem to get it. This is the only class that offers no support in terms of answering questions. I've read the chapters several times, yet I still have trouble seeing how the chapter and the questions after the chapter correlate. Again, this problem is an easier problem of the bunch. I don't see how the book not offering any help would be beneficial at ALL to learning the material. I learned previous chapters (kinematics/gravity/friction) all with great help from the chapter AND I understood how they formulated all their equations. I remember them and I know how to use them in a diverse aray of situations. I truly believe that they took the same questions from the previous book (Physics for Scientists and Engineers by Knight 1st ed.) and took a lot of the context out of the chapters. I know that those of you that have learned the material will probably say that it is the only way to learn this material... but I find that incredibly hard to believe. Am I the only one that thinks this or is this Physics book just put together poorly? I could write a book about how much I really hate this class... BUT ANYWAY... sorry for the vent...
So let's see here... they give the distance between the proton and electron. I have NO idea why in the hell an electron would orbit a proton (I know it does... but OK). From the fact that it is a hydrogen atom implies that there is only one proton and one electron of charge -e and e (1.16 x 10^-19 C) .
Now, because the electron orbits the proton, I suppose we would use the angular velocity formulas. The force pointing toward the center (acceleration) would be found using Coulomb's force formula?
a = v^2/r
F(or a in this case) = qE
E= Kq/r^2
so.. Kq^2/r^2 = v^2/r ?
I plug everything in and I get a number for tangential velocity to equal 1.5 x 10^-9 m/s. Then the circumference of the orbit is 2pi()(radius). I get that number... Then Plug both of those into D=RT.. solve for T, find out how many revolutions persecond for the frequency? Mastering Physics says its wrong. I give up.