General Chemistry (4th Edition)

Published by University Science Books
ISBN 10: 1891389602
ISBN 13: 978-1-89138-960-3

Chapter 4 Early Quantum Theory - Problems - Page 134: 59

Answer

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Work Step by Step

The energy of the electron in a hydrogen atom has a negative sign for all possible orbits. This negative sign means that the energy of the electron in the atom is lower than the energy of a free electron at rest. In short, bound-state energies are negative because the electron is trapped in the attractive Coulomb potential of the positively charged nucleus.
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