Do electrons orbiting a nucleus exhibit perpetual motion?

Question

If in complete isolation will an stable electron orbiting a nucleus do for for an infinite amount of time? If so does this mean that perpetual motion is possible?

Answer 1

Yes, but its not motion in the typical sense.



Particles like electrons behave both as particles and as waves.

An electron associated with an atom is not an orbit in the usual sense - it cannot have just any orbital diameter for example. It can only occupy one of several discrete states, and these behave more like resonant cavities for the wave-like character of the electrons.

Answer 2

Perpetual motion is when you are getting energy out of the contraption. And you would have to with any classical perpetual motion machine because friction can not be avoided.



Since electrons are not "orbiting" in atoms (that's just a phrase suggested by the wrong physics model of atoms) and since there is no friction in quantum mechanics, the ground state of an atom is stable. It won't change because it can't change. It is in equilibrium. Nothing moves in a classical sense (no matter what you might think) and therefor it can not give off energy.



So an atom is not a perpetual motion machine. Its simply a motionless system.

Answer 3

My answer depends on whether this is a physics homework question, or just-out-of-interest question.



Physics homework (high-school level) - An electron in isolation will orbit forever. It would be perpetual motion, but not perpetual energy (which is the important one). Perpetual motion is predicted by Newton's laws (ie. an object in motion stays in motion, unless acted upon).



Out of interest: Electrons don't actually 'orbit' nuclei. They exist within certain regions, defined by a probability function. It all gets significantly more confusing in this case haha. You would be entering the realm of quantum mechanics.

Answer 4

this would be extra useful suited for the chemistry section. that's astronomy. besides the shown fact that, the least perplexing thank you to describe it relatively is that electrons do no longer "orbit" the nucleus. do no longer think of of electrons as factors, think of of them as being "fuzzy." They exist in orbitals in accordance with mathematical possibility. An S orbital feels like a sphere by way of fact the electron is probable someplace on the exterior of that sphere. in case you want to get extra in to it, the electron easily exists everywhere on orbital at as quickly as, sort of like a wave. 2 electrons can occupy a similar orbital provided that they have got opposite spin. the a number of orbitals get their shapes from possibility concept, and each is for the backside ability state. You have been perfect concerning the doughnut formed orbital. d and f suborbitals are doughnut formed. those shapes make extra experience in case you photograph electrons like faces as a substitute of debris. The shapes are based on the thought of three dimensional around harmonics. think of the teardrop shape of a p sub-orbital. Now think of two human beings bouncing opposite one yet another on a trampoline. the exterior of the trampoline would have a melancholy on one area the place somebody is status, and would easily be somewhat lifted up on the area the place the guy in basic terms jumped into the air. in case you will desire to sluggish it down and in basic terms seem on the trampoline floor, you will see opposite teardrop shapes bent into the exterior. in case you will desire to translate that to 3 dimensions you will get a shape that feels like a p sub-orbital.