- #1
mia5
- 17
- 0
Why are the electrons so far away from the nucleus of an atom ?
Exploring Electron Orbit: Understanding the Distance from the Atom's Nucleus
In summary: Therefore, the electron can "explore" a larger volume of space than the nucleons can. This results in a larger orbital radius for the electron compared to the size of the nucleus.In summary, the electrons are far away from the nucleus of an atom due to a balance between the attractive force of the nucleus and the centrifugal force of the electron's rotation, as well as the weak electromagnetic interaction and the light mass of the electron. This results in a relatively large distance between the nucleus and electron, which is necessary for the wave nature of the electron and the principles of Quantum Mechanics.
- #2
adjacent
Gold Member
- 1,552
- 63
One time Ernst Rutherford said that that the rotation of electrons around the nucleus like the rotation of the planets around the sun , so the attraction force that made the planets rotate around the sun but wasn't enough to make these planets stick to the sun due to the centrifugal force . The same in the atom , there is an equality between the attractive force and the centrifugal force ( because the nucleus is positive and the electrons are negative )
- #3
- 32,820
- 4,720
mia5 said:
What do you consider to be "so far away"? I'd say that a few Angstroms as not be far away at all!
Zz.
- #4
technician
- 1,506
- 18
The distance from the nucleus to the electron ( in this basic picture of atoms !) is about 10^5 times the size of the nucleus. Would you not call this 'far away' relatively speaking?ZapperZ said:
- #5
- 32,820
- 4,720
technician said:
Nope, because:
1. I could consider that it is the nucleus that is too small, rather than the electron being too far away,
2. The electron actually DOES get quite close to the nucleus. Look at the spread in position for the 1s orbital, for example.
Zz.
- #6
technician
- 1,506
- 18
Is the Earth far away from the Sun because the Sun is 'too small'?
- #7
ModusPwnd
- 1,255
- 119
technician said:
The sun isn't far away. Its by far the closest star to the Earth there is. Its so close that it appears as a disk rather than a point in the sky.
- #8
- 32,820
- 4,720
technician said:
You obviously miss the whole point of my question to the OP and my reply to you. A question that is simply based on "is it too far away" is subjective! I illustrated that by countering that it could be too small. Who is to say which is "correct"? This then renders the question simply a matter of personal taste, rather than based on physics.
I noticed to neglected the second part of my response, which actually HAS a physics content.
Zz.
- #9
adjacent
Gold Member
- 1,552
- 63
OP could be speaking relatively.If someone enlarges an atom to the size of the earth, the electron should be much far away than the moon
- #10
sophiecentaur
Science Advisor
Gold Member
- 29,509
- 7,143
The reason for the spacings inside an atom are based on Quantum Mechanics, I think. The wave nature of the bound electron gives a minimum likely distance for it to be found 'in orbit' (the probability density function).
- #11
mfb
Mentor
- 37,262
- 14,098
The electron is light (as in: not heavy) relative to the nucleons, and the electromagnetic interaction is weak. Both effects lead to large expectation values for the distance, and both have no known deeper reason.
- #12
BruceW
Homework Helper
- 3,611
- 121
yeah. It is (loosely speaking) because the electromagnetic coupling constant is much smaller than the coupling constant of the strong force. Also, as mfb said, the mass of the electron is smaller than the mass of the nucleons.technician said:
FAQ: Exploring Electron Orbit: Understanding the Distance from the Atom's Nucleus
What is an electron orbit?
An electron orbit refers to the path or trajectory that an electron follows around the nucleus of an atom. This path is determined by the electron's energy and the attractive force of the positively charged nucleus.
How many electron orbits are there in an atom?
The number of electron orbits in an atom depends on the number of electrons it has. Each orbit can hold a maximum number of electrons, with the first orbit holding a maximum of 2 electrons, the second orbit holding a maximum of 8 electrons, and so on.
What is the shape of an electron orbit?
The shape of an electron orbit depends on the type of orbit. The most common type is the circular orbit, but there are also elliptical and more complex orbit shapes that can occur in atoms with more than one electron.
What determines the energy level of an electron orbit?
The energy level of an electron orbit is determined by the distance of the orbit from the nucleus. The closer an electron is to the nucleus, the lower its energy level. As the distance from the nucleus increases, so does the energy level of the orbit.
Can electrons move between orbits?
Yes, electrons can move between orbits by gaining or losing energy. When an electron gains energy, it can jump to a higher orbit, and when it loses energy, it can drop to a lower orbit. This movement between orbits is what allows atoms to absorb and emit light, and is the basis of many chemical reactions.