Question

Why doesn't electrons spiral into the nucleus of an atom? Could someone elaborate and clear up some misconception. Thanks

Answer 1

In a hydrogen atom, along with all other types of atoms, an electron can only orbit the nucleus in certain discrete orbits. These orbits correspond to electronic energy levels and are the only stable configurations in which electrons can ‘circle’ around the nucleus.

It turns out that the lowest-energy orbit for hydrogen is some distance away from the nucleus (on average). We can readily calculate this via the mathematics of quantum physics and, in particular, by solving the Schroedinger equation for the hydrogen atom.

The lowest energy level, or ground state, for hydrogen corresponds to the closest possible stable orbit to the nucleus. Given this, an electron in a hydrogen atom doesn’t spiral into the nucleus as there’s no closer state or orbit for it to move into. It’s as close as it possibly can get.

Answer 2

I believe his real doubt was, why doesn't the electron get attracted due to the force of gravity and fall into the nucleas

Answer 3

yeah mashy that was what i was actually asking lol

Answer 4

To peel back another layer of the onion for you, and get at what you are really asking about, at least from a basic level of classical quantum mechanics:

First it is important to clarify some implicit aspects of your question. The question "Why doesn't the electron spiral into to nucleus of an atom" implies that the electron would lose all of its kinetic energy in doing so and "get stuck there".

First, and most importantly, it does not do that experimentally.

Second, The solution to the Schroedinger equation for the hydrogen atom in it's lowest energy level can be used to show that there is a probability distribution that includes the possibility of the electron passing through the nucleus. Stated another way the electron in fact does "spiral into the nucleus" of the hydrogen atom, but does so without give up it's energy when doing so. It also "spirals out". In other words it does not "get stuck there" by losing all its energy as a ball would in a gravitational field. Why it does that is not well understood. It's one of the weird experimentally verified results of quantum physics. This is an example of how quantum behavior is not intuitive from your understanding of classical mechanical systems like a ball orbiting a planet.

Note: The solutions of the Schroedinger equation gives us a mathematical representation of the electron's position, momentum and energy levels in a hydrogen atom that agrees with what we see experimentally. The mathematical model is not perfect, but closely approximates many of results we see experimentally. So as far as we can tell, through experimentation and through the roughly equivalent math, the electron does not act like we would expect a ball in a gravitational field to act. So, in a sense, it can spiral in, but it can do so without losing energy. A little better description according to what the math shows us is that the electron is spread out like a smear in it's lowest energy orbital. So according to the math, it can be anywhere, including inside the nucleus.

Answer 5

I realize that the answer I gave you is a little dissatisfying in that it really boils down to:

The electron does not spiral in and lose it's energy below it's ground state because:

1) It doesn't do that in the observed universe.

2) The Math agrees that it doesn't do that.

3) We don't understand why it doesn't do what you asked.

..but, currently that is the world we live in. One without a satisfying answer to your question.

Perhaps, with some true genius and lots of luck, we will get a more satisfying answer from experimental and theoretical physics research.

Answer 6

i thought the gravitational force acted as centripetal force to keep the electron in motion !