Explanation of Negative Sign in Electronic Energy for Hydrogen Atom
Electronic energy is the energy possessed by an electron due to its position in an atom. In the case of a hydrogen atom, the electronic energy is negative, which can be explained in the following ways:
Electron Energy Levels
Hydrogen atom has only one electron, which is present in the first energy level or the ground state. The electron in the hydrogen atom is attracted towards the positively charged nucleus by the Coulomb force. The Coulomb force is inversely proportional to the distance between the electron and the nucleus. As the distance between the nucleus and the electron increases, the Coulomb force decreases, and the electron energy increases.
Energy of the Electron
The energy of the electron in the hydrogen atom is defined as the sum of its kinetic energy and potential energy. The kinetic energy of the electron is due to its motion, and potential energy is due to its position in the atom. The electron energy is negative because the potential energy of the electron is negative. The negative potential energy of the electron in the hydrogen atom is due to the attractive force between the electron and the nucleus.
Binding Energy
The negative sign of the electronic energy for the hydrogen atom also indicates that the electron is bound to the nucleus. The electron is in a stable state in the hydrogen atom due to the balance between the attractive force of the nucleus and the repulsive force of the electron itself. The energy required to remove the electron from the hydrogen atom is called the binding energy, and it is equal to the absolute value of the electronic energy.
In conclusion, the negative sign in the electronic energy for the hydrogen atom conveys that the electron is in a stable state, bound to the nucleus due to the attractive force, and has negative potential energy due to its position in the atom.