Atomic
Forces and the Existence of Matter
This article is dedicated to my dear nephew, Dr. Lim
Mingyann, who is a Consultant ENT Surgeon at Tan Tock Seng Hospital in Singapore who
asked me an intelligent question through Whatapp. I live in Malaysia, and he in
Singapore. Here is what he wrote:
“Uncle Ju Boo, Mingyann here. Can I ask your opinion, is it
true that if the strong nuclear force is stronger than it is, hydrogen would
not form. If it was weaker than it is, no elements other than hydrogen could
exist. Do u agree with these two statements?
If you do, could u please explain why? “
Thank you.
Mingyaan
Thank you for your question my dear Mingyaan.
It is really a superb question. I have never thought of this before. You are a very intelligent and a highly qualified medical specialist and surgeon like your father, and have used this to confront and challenge me with an extremely difficult and thought-provoking question.
Honestly I have never thought of this myself in my entire life. Where did you get this question from?
How come from medicine you have gone into nuclear physics which is a very tough field meant only for scientists like Albert Einstein, Julius Robert Oppenheimer, Enrico Fermi and Ernert Rutherford and a few other scientific genesis
Your question really sets me thinking for a while, and wondered how to answer this question.
I found the answer is not simple as it involves a combination of our understanding on physical chemistry, nuclear physics, and astrophysics separately to be combined like a neutron star or a black hole which I shall explain later, and I am definitely not an expert in these area of nuclear sciences.
It is really a superb question. I have never thought of this before. You are a very intelligent and a highly qualified medical specialist and surgeon like your father, and have used this to confront and challenge me with an extremely difficult and thought-provoking question.
Honestly I have never thought of this myself in my entire life. Where did you get this question from?
How come from medicine you have gone into nuclear physics which is a very tough field meant only for scientists like Albert Einstein, Julius Robert Oppenheimer, Enrico Fermi and Ernert Rutherford and a few other scientific genesis
J. Robert Oppenheimer
| |
---|---|
J. Robert Oppenheimer, c. 1944
| |
Born | April 22, 1904 |
Died | February 18, 1967 (aged 62) |
Nationality | American |
Alma mater | Harvard College Christ's College, Cambridge University of Göttingen |
Known for | Nuclear weapons development Tolman–Oppenheimer–Volkoff limit Oppenheimer–Phillips process Born–Oppenheimer approximation |
Spouse(s) | Katherine "Kitty" Puening (1940–1967; his death; 2 children) |
Awards | Enrico Fermi Award (1963) |
Scientific career | |
Fields | Theoretical physics |
Institutions | University of California, Berkeley California Institute of Technology Los Alamos Laboratory Institute for Advanced Study |
Thesis | Zur Quantentheorie kontinuierlicher Spektren[1] (1927) |
Doctoral advisor | Max Born |
Doctoral students | Samuel W. Alderson David Bohm Robert Christy Sidney Dancoff Stan Frankel Willis Eugene Lamb Harold Lewis Philip Morrison Arnold Nordsieck Melba Phillips Hartland Snyder George Volkoff |
Signature | |
Notes | |
Brother of physicist Frank Oppenheimer
|
Your question really sets me thinking for a while, and wondered how to answer this question.
I found the answer is not simple as it involves a combination of our understanding on physical chemistry, nuclear physics, and astrophysics separately to be combined like a neutron star or a black hole which I shall explain later, and I am definitely not an expert in these area of nuclear sciences.
But I shall try to field your challenge
But first of all, let us understand what an atom is.
Structure of an Atom:
An atom is the smallest particle of matter that can take
part in a chemical reaction involving the exchanges and transfers of its outer
electrons with other atoms or molecules.
It consists of a central nucleus with electrons spinning
around it held together by an electromagnetic or electric force.
The nucleus of an atom consists of protons which are
positively charged, and neutrons that have no charge. The electrons orbiting around the central
nuclei are negatively charged. Their charges are opposite to each other so that
there is an attraction between protons and electrons.
The forces of attraction between
the proton and electron and the outwards centrifugal force of an orbiting
electron keeps the electrons from touching the protons. This keeps the atom
stable as the two forces equate each other.
The nucleus of an atom consist not just a proton, but may also
have many protons with equal numbers of electrons to balance the charge. They
may also have many neutrons that have no charge. Together, the proton and the neutron
in the nucleus, it is called a nucleon.
The simplest atom is the hydrogen atom which has only one
proton and a single electron orbiting around it. It has no neutron in it except
for its much rarer isotopes.
Hydrogen is also the simplest and the most abundant element
in the entire Universe from which the Sun, the stars and the galaxies are
derive their energy.
Forces in an Atom and Gravity:
There are two forces in an atom. One is an electric force,
also called electromagnetic or Coulomb force that holds the proton and electrons
together, the other is a very strong nuclear force that binds the proton to the
neutron together in the nucleus.
The electromagnet tic force that ties the proton and
electron together has a strength that lies between the nuclear force which is
the strongest force known, and the weakest one which is the force of gravity. A
nuclear force is some 137 times stronger than an electromagnetic force.
Even by itself, an electron pack some energy by spinning. Electron
spin is a kind of angular momentum which is part of the quantum property of
electrons. The magnitude of this angular momentum is perpetual. If the electron spins clockwise on its axis,
it is defined as spin-up but if it spins counterclockwise it is designated as spin-down.
The electromagnetic force not only binds electrons to the
nucleus, but also binds the atoms together to form molecules. The molecules
themselves form the various chemical compounds
by these intermolecular forces, while the powerful nuclear force holds the
nucleus together.
Of all the forces in Nature, strongest is the nuclear force.
Of all the forces in Nature, strongest is the nuclear force.
Nuclear force although is the most powerful force inside the
nucleons, they can only act over very short distances of about 1 femtometre
(fm, or 1.0 × 10−15 metres). Beyond 2.5 fm, it rapidly decreases
into insignificance.
For instance, the dimension of an atom is about 1.0 × 10−10
m. This is 100,000 times further away
than the distance a nuclear force can reach or act over an electron that is orbiting around its
nucleus.
At distances less than 0.7 fm, the nuclear force is strongly
repulsive. This repulsive distance dictates the physical size of nuclei, since
the nucleons can come no closer than the force permits.
The force of gravity on the other hand, albeit the weakest among
all the forces in an atom, it can act over very long distances.
Its effect is felt even between the stars as seen
in binary or triplet stars systems as they revolve around each other. Their
revolution is held by this long-distance force.
We can also see how gravitational force holds all the eight
planets of the Solar System together as they take their circuit around our own
Sun. Its presence is also felt beyond Pluto at a distance of 5.872 billion kilometers and even beyond Pluto such as the Oort Cloud at lazes at the fringe of the Solar
System.
The Oort Cloud harbors a huge collection of comets lying between 0.03 to 3.2 light years (2.84 x 1011 - 3.03 x 1013 kilometers) away.
The Oort Cloud harbors a huge collection of comets lying between 0.03 to 3.2 light years (2.84 x 1011 - 3.03 x 1013 kilometers) away.
It is a target of a tug-of-war between the gravitational
pull of the Sun and that of passing stars or even the Milky Way itself. The
gravitation effects on the Oort Cloud is so effective even over such long
distances that it can occasional dislodge comets from there and send them
hurtling towards the pull of the Sun
Gravitation force although the weakest of all, is
perpetually present as long as matter continues to be present. Its force permeates throughout the entire
Universe. Their strength is the product of the masses of two or more bodies,
and falls off inversely as the square of their distances.
Hence gravitation
force is always present theoretically no matter how far the bodies of
attraction are apart even though astronauts often speak
of zero gravity when they are orbiting the Earth when in practice there is no absolute zero gravity there. Eventually their space crafts
will be pulled back by gravity to Earth.
Gravitational force is just 6 × 10-39 times the
strength of a nuclear force just to compare. So it is really very, very weak,
but it can act over very long distance whereas nuclear force cannot
So we can clearly see
there is a lot of forces and energy in Nature whether in an electron spin, in the
inter proton-electron space, in the nuclear of an atom or among the stars and
galaxies where the persistent gravitational forces holds them together.
You cannot remove, destroy or unbind gravitational forces. They are always there in all perpetuity.
You cannot remove, destroy or unbind gravitational forces. They are always there in all perpetuity.
Even in the Bible this force among the stars is clearly
mentioned. “can you bind the chains of
the Pleiades or loose the cords of Orion?” (Job 38:31).
Understanding the nature of these forces is crucial as they
are the key to the answer your question. We shall explain as
we go along.
Sub-atomic Particles:
Within the nucleus there are also sub-atomic particles. For
instance, protons are made up of even smaller particles called quarks, and both
are held together by gluons which are exchange particles between the strong
interaction of protons and neutrons.
Neutrons again are also broken into quarks. Each neutron is
made of three quarks, two down quarks and one up quark. A powerful nuclear
force also binds the quarks together.
This strong bondage among all the sub atomic particles in
the nucleus is the nuclear force. Splitting the proton and neutron apart,
releases this strong force, called nuclear energy
The Hydrogen Atom:
However, a single neutral hydrogen atom has no charge except
when it is charged by some external energy such as by light, ultraviolet
radiation or electricity. When energized, it then
becomes excited, and ionizes.
By itself, it is electrically stable as it contains only a single positively charged proton and a negatively charged electron held to its nucleus by the Coulomb force.
By itself, it is electrically stable as it contains only a single positively charged proton and a negatively charged electron held to its nucleus by the Coulomb force.
In some rarer forms of hydrogen there is also a neutron in
their nuclei. These are the isotopes of hydrogen. In these isotopes, a nuclear force
is present.
In other elements where there are protons and neutrons, the same nuclear force is also present. A nuclear force binds all the nuclear particles together while the electromagnetic force holds their orbiting electrons.
In other elements where there are protons and neutrons, the same nuclear force is also present. A nuclear force binds all the nuclear particles together while the electromagnetic force holds their orbiting electrons.
It is not possible to spilt a normal hydrogen atom because
it has only one proton with no neutron in its nucleus. Hence there is no nuclear force there. The
only force in the hydrogen atom is the weak Coulomb or electromagnetic force that
binds its proton to its single electron as already explained.
However the energy levels of the electromagnetic force of a
hydrogen atom can vary. This depends on how far the electron is away from its
proton. This distance is called the Lorentz radius.
The electron distance to the proton is the shortest when it is at ground state, but it may jump orbit to 1st,
2nd and the 3rd levels or stages written as n1, n2, n3 and n4 when its atom is excited
by an external energy.
The way the electrons orbit its nuclear is very much like
the planets around the Sun except in the former it is controlled by electromagnetic
forces, whereas the latter by gravitational force.
In nuclear physics for atoms, this is labeled as the
Rutherford–Bohr model or Bohr model put forward by Niels Bohr and Ernest
Rutherford in 1913.
Minimum Energy:
It requires
a minimum amount of energy designated as “ionization energy” to peel off the
electron from the hydrogen atom for it to ionize. The energy stored by a
hydrogen atom occurs at various levels pending on the levels of the orbit of
its electron bound to the nucleus.
However, it
cannot have just any value of energy because the electron can only occupy
certain orbital “states”, and at in each state they store in only a specific
amount of energy.
The lowest
energy level an electron can have is at “ground state”. When it jumps orbit and
reaches a higher energy than this lowest energy, it is said to be in an
“excited state”.
Electrons
with high n numbers are so weakly bound that even feeble disturbances will wrench
the electron away from its nuclear.
In both classical
physics and quantum mechanics the absolute value of energy is immaterial; only their
energy difference is important. When ionized, the electron will have zero
binding energy to the proton. Based on this concept, the different energy levels of a hydrogen atom
are given by the equation:
E = - E0 / n2,
where E0 = 13.6 eV (1 eV = 1.602×10-19 Joules) and n =
1,2,3… etc, so that the ground state has energy E1= -13.6 eV and the second
energy level (the first excited state) has energy E2 = -13.6/4 eV = -3.4 eV…
etc.
When excited, it may lose its sole electron by escaping its
outer orbit. It is becomes ionized. However, the electron seldom can escape
completely as it is strongly held by the proton unless it is at the highest n
level. If this happens, the electron
will escape leaving the proton behind.
However this seldom happens in Nature because a single
hydrogen atom unattached to another hydrogen atom or with other atoms or
molecules especially with carbon atoms seldom exists in the environment of
Earth as it is very reactive. It has to coexist with other atoms and molecules
and the tens of millions of compounds especially in organic compounds alongside
with carbon.
But should it escape, it tends to look for another hydrogen
atom to form a hydrogen molecule rather than existing as a single atom. A hydrogen
atom that has a single electron is unpaired and is highly reactive, and very
unstable.
By itself it may be
considered as a free radical as it has no partner with another electron. As
such being very reactive it will seek another hydrogen atom to stabilize itself
where the second hydrogen atom with another electron can contribute to
its stability by providing a covalent bond for it to become a more stable
hydrogen molecule (H2).
Any molecule that has an unpaired electron is a free
radical, or redefined as any molecular fragment that contains an unpaired
electron in an atomic orbital.
A single atom with an unpaired electron may be considered to
fall into this category. Hence two hydrogen atoms will seek each other to form
a link as a hydrogen molecule which is much more common and more stable in the
vicinity of Earth.
Once any fragment of an atom or molecule becomes a free
radical it will be extremely unstable as it has an unpaired valence
electron.
In such an event, the molecule will try to snatch a nearby
electron from another molecule somewhere to stabilize itself, and the
neighboring molecule which has lost its electron to the free radical will in
turn snatch another electron from another neighboring molecule causing a chain
reaction. These chain reactions can occur at lightning speeds as free radicals
are very unstable.
So we can see in Nature there are a lot of energy and forces
required in all types of reactions, and all requires a minimum amount of energy
for chemical reactions to occur.
Often in a chemical reaction they give off excessive energy in form of heat as in combustion. But they can also absorb energy for them to react. One is exothermal, the other endothermal reactions.
Often in a chemical reaction they give off excessive energy in form of heat as in combustion. But they can also absorb energy for them to react. One is exothermal, the other endothermal reactions.
The energy levels in an atom are electromagnetic in nature
and the role their electrons play in chemical reactions are normally their exchanges with
other molecules. Nuclear forces are not involved
in chemical reactions.
In short, if there is
no nuclear force in an ordinary hydrogen atom, then the existence of hydrogen mentioned
in the question does not arise. We shall explain that later.
Isotopes of Hydrogen:
However, if we are referring to hydrogen in its atomic stage
then we are referring to the most common form called “protium” which has only
one proton and one electron. But there
is also another common form of hydrogen atom, called “deuterium” which has one
neutron besides its proton and an electron.
This is an isotope of the normal hydrogen atom. Two atoms of deuterium, called heavy hydrogen
is formed when they combine with one atom of oxygen to produce heavy water.
The oxygen is the same as in both regular water and heavy water. Heavy water is about 10% heavier than ordinary water, but chemically, heavy water and ordinary water are the same.
The oxygen is the same as in both regular water and heavy water. Heavy water is about 10% heavier than ordinary water, but chemically, heavy water and ordinary water are the same.
Besides deuterium, there is also another isotope of hydrogen
called tritium with two neutrons. The isotope tritium is unstable and is
radioactive. Tritium among the three common sotopes of hydrogen is less stable.
It is radioactive decaying into helium.
Its water is considered a waste product in nuclear reactions, and it becomes a health hazard if it leaks into the ordinary public water supply.
Its water is considered a waste product in nuclear reactions, and it becomes a health hazard if it leaks into the ordinary public water supply.
Other isotopes of hydrogen are much rarer, and are all
radioactive and highly unstable and we shall not go into them.
The most common form of hydrogen (protium) makes up 99.98 %
of all the hydrogen, followed by deuterium which is 0.016 % and tritium at less
than 0.01 %
Thus only the isotopes of hydrogen have nuclear force in
them, but not the ordinary hydrogen (protium).
Even if you spilt an isotope of hydrogen, the energy
released would be much less than say uranium which packs so much more energy in
its nucleus as it has so much more protons and neutrons in it which can be
released by a nuclear chain reaction.
Uranium
– 235 for instance, has 92 protons and 143 neutrons in its nucleus, and when an
atom of uranium 235 is split, it releases much more nuclear energy through this
chain reaction by splitting all the proton-neutron it packs one after
another.
However, you could also get nuclear energy from hydrogen by
fusion from the isotopes of deuterium and tritium as in a hydrogen bomb
Fusion
Energy of Hydrogen:
Alternatively, you can also fuse hydrogen atoms together
like in the Sun and stars into helium to yield an enormous amount of energy.
This energy is called fusion energy or energy of nuclear fusion.
What happens in this fusion cycle is that the proton of the
hydrogen nuclei, together with electrons neutrinos and photons, fuse together generating
a helium nucleus with the release of fusion energy.
This is the only form of nuclear energy we can extract from
hydrogen as seen in the Sun and stars. But
in an ordinary hydrogen as we know it, the hydrogen stay inert and neutral
unless burnt to release the heat of ordinary chemical combustion.
Chemical or electrical energy can also be used to excite and ionize a hydrogen atom. But you cannot get nuclear energy out of ordinary hydrogen. So again this question you asked does not apply.
Chemical or electrical energy can also be used to excite and ionize a hydrogen atom. But you cannot get nuclear energy out of ordinary hydrogen. So again this question you asked does not apply.
Other
Possibilities:
However if the question is on any possibility on the
existence or non-existing of ordinary hydrogen or other elements pertaining to
nuclear forces if weaker or greater than the forces of attraction between the
electron and its proton, this may still be a valid question but only seen in one scenario.
In order to answer that, we need to go beyond physical
chemistry or nuclear physics. We need to
bring in the stars and astrophysics as well to help. We shall discuss this shortly.
Other
Elements & Sub-Atomic Particles:
The nucleus of other elements consists of positively-charged
protons and the same numbers of negatively-charged electrons. But they may also have different numbers of
neutrons without charge.
Hence they can have isotopes too containing a certain number
of protons, but different numbers of neutrons.
In such cases, they will differ in relative atomic mass, but not in
chemical properties. With the presence of their isotopes, they become the radioactive
form of the element.
In the
early stages of the universe the key reaction was the collision of protons and
neutrons to form deuterium nuclei which
is an isotope of hydrogen as already explained.
Since hydrogen is the most abundant element in the Universe,
we need to rephrase the question to refer it as electromagnetic force in a
hydrogen atom rather than nuclear forces unless we are talking about higher
elements like uranium 238 which has an atomic mass of 238, consisting of 92
protons and 146 neutrons.
This multiple
numbers of particles in uranium, especially uranium 235 makes uranium packed
with nuclear energy, much more than the combined electromagnetic forces.
However we still have only one exception for hydrogen. Since
hydrogen is not fissile, it can be fused together to release fusion energy as
occurring in the Sun and stars that converts hydrogen into helium as already
explained earlier.
The Sun for instance generates about 3.86 x 1026
watts of energy by converting hydrogen into helium.
The Sun converts 600 million tons of hydrogen into 596
million tons of helium every second. But only a mere 4 million tons of hydrogen
are converted into energy.
Most of that energy is dissipated into space, and only about
1.74 x 1017 watts arrives to Earth. This is about 174,000,000,000,000,000
or 174 quadrillion watts after a 150 million km journey to reach this Planet.
Hydrogen constitutes about 75% of the baryonic mass of the universe,
and hence there is a lot of energy in the Sun, stars and galaxies too.
Baryonic matter includes matter composed of baryons, protons,
neutrons and all the objects composed of them in the atomic nuclei, but exclude
things such as electrons and neutrinos which are actually leptons.
A baryon is a member of one of two classes of hadrons which
are particles built from quarks and thus experiencing the strong nuclear force.
Baryons are heavy subatomic particles that are made up of three quarks.
Both the protons and neutrons, as well as other particles,
are called baryons. The other class of hadronic particle is made from a quark
and an antiquark is called a meson. But we shall not dwell too much into
nuclear and particle physics.
The Sun and Neutron
Star:
Having explained all the above, we are now ready to answer your
question whether or not hydrogen can
exist if its nuclear force, or rather the electromagnetic force between its
proton and electron is less than it is.
But before that, let us look at the Sun once again. As
already briefly explained, the Sun generates its own energy by converting its hydrogen
into helium through nuclear fusion.
The Sun is predominated hydrogen. Based on mass, the Sun is
composed of 75 percent hydrogen and 25 percent helium. Other elements make up
less than 0.1 percent of the mass of the sun.
Even though the Sun is approximately 130,000,000 the volume
of Earth based on its radius which is
109 times that of Earth, its density is lighter at about 1.4 g/cm3 compared to
that of Earth at 5.5 g / cm3.
This is because it is mainly made up of light elements like
hydrogen and helium. The Sun composition
is similar to the Gas Giant planets compared to Earth which is made of heavier
elements and their compounds that are formed through what is called “nucleosynthesis”
from hydrogen during the early stages of
the Universe formation.
The Sun was formed about 4.6 billion years ago. The Sun will
continue to ‘burn’ its nuclear fuel silently for another 4.5 – 5.5 billion
years until the hydrogen in the sun's outer core is depleted.
Currently the searing heat of its nuclear fusion causes the
Sun to maintain its volume and size. The intense heat keeps the particles apart
and prevents them from collapsing. But once its hydrogen fuel is used up, it
begins to cool. Once it begins to cool, its own gravity will cause it to
collapse.
The crushing pressure will trigger off another cycle of
fusion. It will continue to generate heat for another 2 billion years where it
will fuse the helium into carbon, some oxygen and other elements, but with lesser
amounts of energy.
This is achieved through a series of reactions called nucleosynthesis as already mentioned.
This is achieved through a series of reactions called nucleosynthesis as already mentioned.
After all its hydrogen fuel is spent, it will either
contract into a white dwarf, or expand into a red giant to engulf the Earth and
all the other planets possibly up to
Pluto and even beyond in the Solar
System
Massive
Stars:
However, there are stars that are much more massive and
denser our Sun. These are also giant stars.
If the hydrogen fuel in massive stars between 10 to 29 solar
masses runs out, it will explode as a supernova. Even after its outer layers
are blown off, it will still have enough remaining mass and pressure to fuse its
hydrogen, carbon and other elements together.
Neutron
Stars and Black Holes:
However, when a very massive star blows out its outer coat
as a supernova, its interior core may still have sufficient mass to collapse
onto itself. If it happens it may either
turn into a neutron star or a black hole depending on its remaining mass or the
original mass of the star.
Another possibility is, if a star is massive enough it may
not even blow up as a supernova, but collapse directly to form a black hole
leaving no core behind. All these cosmic events are hypothetical scenarios in
astrophysics.
But what happens if a star is massive, but not massive
enough to become a black hole at the end of its life?
The Weakest is Now the Strongest:
Here’s what may happens as I promised to write earlier about
the existence of a neutron star. Its own gravity will cause it to contract to
such an extent until the electromagnetic force that keeps the proton and the
electron apart in its remaining hydrogen,
can no longer withstand the inward force of such a massive gravity.
The
weakest force in Nature has now become the strongest and the most prevailing.
Inside a neutron star, the scenario of gravitation is different.
The gravity would be so horrendous that
it will force the negatively- charged electrons to merge with the
positively-charged proton which under normal Earth’s gravity are kept separate
by orbiting even though they have opposite charges.
When that happens, a neutron with no charge will be formed. The negative and positive charges will cancel out each other to form a neutral neutron.
When that happens, a neutron with no charge will be formed. The negative and positive charges will cancel out each other to form a neutral neutron.
In such a scenario when an electron gets sucked in into the
proton, we call it as an Inverse Beta Decay or an Electron Capture.
Once all the remaining hydrogen atoms and other atoms of
other elements are fused into neutrons, nothing remains except neutrons. The
star then becomes a neutron star.
In short, the force of gravity has finally taken over by accretion and have brought all the particles together and neutralize them into neutrons.
In short, the force of gravity has finally taken over by accretion and have brought all the particles together and neutralize them into neutrons.
There will be
no more hydrogen. There will also be no other elements left. Every bit of
particles and sub-particles will be reduced to neutrons which stays neutral.
There is no energy left except the eternal force of gravity. Neutron stars are dead stars that emit no light or energy.
There is no energy left except the eternal force of gravity. Neutron stars are dead stars that emit no light or energy.
Neutron stars are the smallest and densest of all stars
other than the so-called theoretical quark stars. They have a radius of about
10 kilometres with a mass between 1.4 and 2.16 solar masses.
They are usually the result of a supernova explosion of a massive star that compresses its core past the density of white dwarf to that of the atomic nuclei.
They are usually the result of a supernova explosion of a massive star that compresses its core past the density of white dwarf to that of the atomic nuclei.
Existence of
Matter in a Weaker Force:
But in your question, what happens if the “nuclear” force is
weaker than it is, will hydrogen be formed?
As already explained the weakest force within an atom is the
electrical or electromagnetic force, also called Coulomb force which is the
force between two charged bodies or particles.
If this force is even less than what binds the proton and the electron together as in a hydrogen atom, then the proton can no longer hold the electron anymore. The electron will escape, and only the proton is left.
A proton without an electron attached is not considered a hydrogen atom. It is just an incomplete part of matter and hardly exists in isolation as we know it.
If this force is even less than what binds the proton and the electron together as in a hydrogen atom, then the proton can no longer hold the electron anymore. The electron will escape, and only the proton is left.
A proton without an electron attached is not considered a hydrogen atom. It is just an incomplete part of matter and hardly exists in isolation as we know it.
As to the question if the “nuclear” force was weaker than it
is, no elements other than hydrogen could exist.
In such an
event, even a hydrogen atom which must have at least an electron If it does not then it cannot exist
If the
electrical force is less than what it is, then there is a likelihood the
electron will fly away leaving behind just the proton. A single proton per sec
cannot be considered a hydrogen atom as already explained.
It must have at least one electron orbiting or two in the covalent bond of a hydrogen molecule.
It must have at least one electron orbiting or two in the covalent bond of a hydrogen molecule.
As for the
other elements there is also the same hypothetically possibility that they too
cannot exist because in all other elements more massive than hydrogen
containing more than just one proton and one electron they must collectively have
a net electrical force to bind all the
particles together.
Such a
combined force of multiple protons and electrons will be much greater than the
single force than binds the particles of a single hydrogen atom.
If these
forces are less or absent, then no other element or even hydrogen can exist as
there will be insufficient force to tie so many electrons and equal numbers of
protons together.
All elements including a hydrogen atom must have at least a minimum electrical force even at ground state as discussed earlier.
All elements including a hydrogen atom must have at least a minimum electrical force even at ground state as discussed earlier.
It is this
combination of forces that bind the protons, neutron and electrons together that
makes other elements more massive than hydrogen to exist in Nature.
The electrons without
sufficient binding force will all fly away either by attraction to other
unpaired atoms or molecules, or by their sheer outwards centrifugal forces
which is normally balanced by the inward pull of the electrical force during
their orbit around its nucleus.
Without these
forces, whether weaker or stronger than what it is, no substance or matter,
whether hydrogen, other elements and all the different types and millions of
molecules and chemical compounds can exist.
Before all of
them can exist there must be a minimum amount of force to bind them together,
and the minimum of them other than gravity is found in the simplest and the
most abundant of all elements in the Universe which is the hydrogen atom in its
unexcited or ground state.
Anything less than this, no atom can exist – not even a hydrogen atom.
Anything less than this, no atom can exist – not even a hydrogen atom.
Yes, in that sense your question is valid.
I hope I have
explained adequately, and have been of help? I hope you enjoy reading it.
Thank you
once again for your very challenging and very difficult question you confronted me with your very high intelligence which sets me wondering
and thinking myself for a while before I could pen this article which I have now dedicated it to you my dear nephew Mingyaan.
Uncle lim ju boo
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