Can we apply Newton law's to the motion of electrons?
**Applying Newton's Laws to the Motion of Electrons**
**Introduction**
Newton's laws of motion are fundamental principles that describe the behavior of objects in motion. While these laws were initially formulated for macroscopic objects, they can also be applied to the motion of electrons, which are subatomic particles with mass and charge. By considering the forces acting on electrons and their resulting motion, we can apply Newton's laws to understand their behavior.
**First Law: Law of Inertia**
The first law of motion, also known as the law of inertia, states that an object at rest remains at rest, and an object in motion continues in motion with a constant velocity unless acted upon by an external force. In the case of electrons, they can be considered to have inertia, meaning they resist changes in their motion.
**Second Law: Force and Acceleration**
The second law of motion states that the acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the net force acting on it and inversely proportional to its mass. Mathematically, this can be expressed as F = ma, where F is the net force, m is the mass, and a is the acceleration. When it comes to electrons, the net force acting on them can be due to electric and magnetic fields.
**Electric Forces on Electrons**
Electrons have negative charge and are affected by electric fields. When an electron is placed in an electric field, it experiences a force due to the interaction between its charge and the electric field. According to Newton's second law, this force will cause the electron to accelerate in the direction of the force.
**Magnetic Forces on Electrons**
Similarly, electrons are also influenced by magnetic fields. When an electron moves through a magnetic field, it experiences a force perpendicular to both its velocity and the magnetic field direction. This force, known as the Lorentz force, causes the electron to change its direction, resulting in a curved path.
**Third Law: Action and Reaction**
The third law of motion states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. This law applies to the motion of electrons when they interact with other charged particles or electromagnetic fields. The forces between charged particles are always equal in magnitude but opposite in direction.
**Conclusion**
In conclusion, Newton's laws of motion can be applied to the motion of electrons. By considering the forces acting on electrons due to electric and magnetic fields, we can use Newton's second law to determine their acceleration. Additionally, the third law of motion helps us understand the equal and opposite forces that arise during interactions between electrons and other charged particles. Understanding these principles allows us to analyze and predict the behavior of electrons in various physical systems.
Can we apply Newton law's to the motion of electrons?
The first law of Newtonian mechanics says"
The velocity of a body remains constant unless the body is acted upon by an external force.
So there is no need to spend energy to keep on moving, unless external forces are acting on the body.
Electrons around a nucleus are not a classical problem, but conservation of energy holds also in the quantum states. The electron around the nucleus is in a quantized energy level and can change it only if an external interaction intervenes. It is quantization that guarantees this, since in the classical problem of a charge circulating around an opposite charge there would be continuous radiation which would have made the electron fall into the nucleus. Quantized energy states for the electrons are necessary for atoms to exist and were first proposed by Bohr.
Subsequently quantum mechanics became a full blown theory and needs years of study to assimilate it.
Hope the answer will help you