## Why can't a particle in a container have zero energy?

$E_{n}=\frac{h^{2}n^{2}}{8mL^{2}}$

Yinhan_Liu_1D
Posts: 51
Joined: Sat Sep 24, 2016 3:00 am

### Why can't a particle in a container have zero energy?

Is it because that the zero-point energy is already E1?

Navarro_Bree_1D
Posts: 24
Joined: Wed Sep 21, 2016 3:00 pm

### Re: Why can't a particle in a container have zero energy?

According to the website, "Fermilab Today," at the quantum scale, space never has zero energy because electrons have both particle-like and wave-like properties. Their constant movement can be measured in kinetic energy. From my understanding, I think a particle in a container cannot have zero energy due to its particle-like and wave-like functions.

Source: https://www.fnal.gov/pub/today/archive/ ... dmore.html

Katie 1E
Posts: 21
Joined: Fri Sep 29, 2017 7:04 am
Been upvoted: 2 times

### Re: Why can't a particle in a container have zero energy?

I think it's also because the lowest possible energy level is n=1, which by default means that the electron has energy. Also, a particle with no energy means that it s completely motionless, which is impossible.