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Example · Example 6

Q.Derive an expression for the total energy of an electron in the nnth orbit of a hydrogen-like atom, and hence obtain the formula En=−13.6 Z2/n2E_n = -13.6\,Z^2/n^2 eV for hydrogen.

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Kinetic energy, from the force-balance relation mv2=14πϵ0Ze2rmv^2=\frac{1}{4\pi\epsilon_0}\frac{Ze^2}{r}: KE=12mv2=18πϵ0Ze2rKE=\frac12mv^2=\frac{1}{8\pi\epsilon_0}\frac{Ze^2}{r}.

Potential energy (zero at r=∞r=\infty): PE=−14πϵ0Ze2rPE=-\frac{1}{4\pi\epsilon_0}\frac{Ze^2}{r}.

Total energy: E=KE+PE=18πϵ0Ze2r−14πϵ0Ze2r=−18πϵ0Ze2rE=KE+PE=\frac{1}{8\pi\epsilon_0}\frac{Ze^2}{r}-\frac{1}{4\pi\epsilon_0}\frac{Ze^2}{r}=-\frac{1}{8\pi\epsilon_0}\frac{Ze^2}{r} -- exactly the negative of KEKE, and half the magnitude of PEPE.

Substituting rn=ϵ0n2h2πmZe2r_n=\frac{\epsilon_0n^2h^2}{\pi mZe^2} (Example 5):

En=−Ze28πϵ0⋅πmZe2ϵ0n2h2=−mZ2e48ϵ02h2n2E_n = -\frac{Ze^2}{8\pi\epsilon_0}\cdot\frac{\pi mZe^2}{\epsilon_0n^2h^2} = -\frac{mZ^2e^4}{8\epsilon_0^2h^2n^2} …

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