Question

What is the energy of an electron in the 2s orbital of a hydrogen atom?

Answer 1

-3.4 eV (
`-5.4\cdot 10^(-19) J`)

Step-by-step explanation:

In a hydrogen atom, the energy of an electron is given by:

`E_n = - 13.6 eV (1)/(n^2)`

where

n is the principal quantum number

For an electron in the 2s orbital,

n = 2

So substituting this value into the formula, we find

`E_2 = -13.6 eV (1)/(2^2)=-3.4 eV`

And converting this into Joules, we have

`E_2 = -3.4 eV \cdot 1.6\cdot 10^(-19) J/eV=-5.4\cdot 10^(-19) J`