## Negative Energy Near the Nucleus [ENDORSED]

H-Atom ($E_{n}=-\frac{hR}{n^{2}}$)

An Dang 3F
Posts: 20
Joined: Fri Sep 29, 2017 7:07 am

### Negative Energy Near the Nucleus

Why is the energy most negative when it is near the nucleus? I understand that the equation E= -hR/n^2 shows that the energy will be a greater negative when n is a small number, but why is the energy negative?

Tanaisha Italia 1B
Posts: 55
Joined: Fri Sep 29, 2017 7:04 am

### Re: Negative Energy Near the Nucleus  [ENDORSED]

I think it might be because electrons closer to the nucleus are in lower energy orbitals, so they have less potential energy. These electrons are also more stable than valence electrons (less likely to be shared/lost to another atom) which might also explain why they have lower energy.

905022356
Posts: 48
Joined: Mon Oct 02, 2017 7:19 am

### Re: Negative Energy Near the Nucleus

Taking in mind that at n= infinity the potential energy of the electron is zero, the potential energy of the electron might be more negative as we approach the nucleus because the electron requires more energy to be released.