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We used to say that when an atom is stable it is in its minimum energy state.Every shell has its fixed energy. So from where does the energy come which is lost by an atom to achieve stability.

Do electrons lose energy? If yes then will there be any effect of the lose of energy on the speed of electron revolving around the nucleus.

Thank you

Sorry for the English.

Bitthal Maheshwari
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    There is no rotation to begin with. – andselisk May 22 '20 at 10:27
  • Sorry but, I didn't get what you mean to say – Bitthal Maheshwari May 22 '20 at 10:29
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    Electrons do not "revolve around the orbit". Don't try to apply Kepler problem at the atomic scale, it doesn't work like that. – andselisk May 22 '20 at 10:32
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    @andselisk Sommerfeld was chemistry's Kepler ;) – Zenix May 22 '20 at 10:33
  • @andselisk I wrote it by mistake sorry for that. Well I have edited it now. – Bitthal Maheshwari May 22 '20 at 10:36
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    See, the atoms have the energy they need to have, no more, no less. You conclude that they must have had greater energy (why?), which they later lost, and wonder where did that energy come from. Why, really? – Ivan Neretin May 22 '20 at 11:39
  • I think you didn't understand my question properly. I am saying that when an atom is stabilised it is in minimum energy state. So I am talking about the difference in the energy states in its destabilised form and stabilised form. – Bitthal Maheshwari May 22 '20 at 11:43
  • You see an atom in the minimum energy state. Why do you assume it ever was in any other state? – Ivan Neretin May 22 '20 at 12:18
  • @Ivan Neretin I think I wrote something in this question which makes it confusing. Well I got my answer from. Thanks you for giving me your time. I even think your question about why do I assume can be cleared by reading his answer. He is talking about the same thing as I am. – Bitthal Maheshwari May 22 '20 at 14:56

1 Answers1

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Let call it rather the atom ground state and the atom excited state.

Same excited states can be kinetically quite stable, like atomized hydrogen in interstellar space with mutual parallel (excited state) and antiparallel ( ground state) proton and electron spin. This spin flipping is the source of the famous 21 cm hydrogen spectral line, used as the scale for the Pioneer cosmic sons plaquette.

Excited atom states have higher energy of electrons than ground states. This energy consists of kinetic and potential energy.

The energy exchange with the rest of universe during excited/ground state switching is via absorption/emission of photons, or via collisions/interactions with other molecules, atoms or subatomic particles.

If we consider classical central force like gravity or electrostatics, we know that lower energy means higher mean speed, as potential energy decrease is twice as much as kinetic energy increase.

In the quantum realm, we cannot speak about particular orbit, momentary values of kinetic or potential energy, nor the momentary position nor velocity nor speed.

We can speak about electron energy, orbital and spin angular momentum and related distribution of the probability of electron occurrence.

Poutnik
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  • In lithium atom if we anyhow manage to remove the two inner electrons from the s orbital but not interrupting the p orbital electron can we say it is the excited state of hydrogen. – Bitthal Maheshwari May 22 '20 at 14:49
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    Lithium atom with 2 1s and 1 2p electron already is an excited lithium atom.. If we ejected the 2 inner 1s electrons e.g by energetic photons, it would be excited $\ce{Li^2+}$ ion. Ion with lithium kernel is not an atom of hydrogen, but Hydrogen-like excited 1 electron system with different orbitals due higher kernel charge. – Poutnik May 22 '20 at 14:59