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Questions tagged [electrons]

Electrons are subatomic particles with the symbol e−. They have a negative electric charge (-1 elementary charge. )

50 votes
5 answers
14k views

Fundamental forces behind covalent bonding

I understand that covalent bonding is an equilibrium state between attractive and repulsive forces, but which one of the fundamental forces actually causes atoms to attract each other? Also, am I ...
wolfik's user avatar
  • 705
183 votes
8 answers
173k views

Can an atom have more than 8 valence electrons? If not, why is 8 the limit?

According to some chemistry textbooks, the maximum number of valence electrons for an atom is 8, but the reason for this is not explained. So, can an atom have more than 8 valence electrons? If ...
moonw's user avatar
  • 1,955
99 votes
7 answers
139k views

Why is the 2s orbital lower in energy than the 2p orbital when the electrons in 2s are usually farther from the nucleus?

My chemistry book explains that even though electrons in the $\mathrm{2p}$ orbital are closer to the nucleus on average, electrons from the $\mathrm{2s}$ orbital spend a very short time very close to ...
Gordon Gustafson's user avatar
57 votes
4 answers
385k views

Why is it important to use a salt bridge in a voltaic cell? Can a wire be used?

I was learning about voltaic cells and came across salt bridges. If the purpose of the salt bridge is only to move electrons from an electrolyte solution to the other, then why can I not use a wire? ...
Peeyush Kushwaha's user avatar
31 votes
3 answers
12k views

What is the physical basis for Hund's first rule?

According to Hund's first rule, a set of degenerate orbitals are singly occupied first, before the second slot in any of the orbitals are populated. This is quite intuitive because electron-electron ...
Aniansh's user avatar
  • 447
23 votes
2 answers
8k views

Which relatively simple molecules violate the octet rule?

I'm learning how to draw Lewis diagrams. Everything I've read emphasizes the octet rule. However, to the best of my knowledge, that rule only applies to elements in the first three periods. On our ...
Hal's user avatar
  • 2,325
36 votes
3 answers
1.3m views

What are the maximum number of electrons in each shell?

In my textbook, it says that the maximum number of electrons that can fit in any given shell is given by 2n². This would mean 2 electrons could fit in the first shell, 8 could fit in the second shell, ...
user3034084's user avatar
10 votes
2 answers
2k views

What exactly is an orbital?

What exactly is an orbital? Atomic or molecular. Is it the function that describes the behaviour of the electron? Is it the Schroedinger's equation solution, e.g., for Hydrogen atom? Is it the ...
NickyR's user avatar
  • 209
27 votes
1 answer
3k views

While filling electrons, we follow Aufbau principle, but not while removing them. Why is this so?

I recently came across a question Why is the vanadium(3+) ion paramagnetic?, where the asker is wondering how $\ce{V^{3+}}$ is paramagnetic (he used Aufbau in reverse to remove the electrons), while ...
Pritt says Reinstate Monica's user avatar
8 votes
3 answers
9k views

Does the shared electron in Covalent bonds revolve around nucleus?

We know that electrons are charges that revolve around the nucleus. Then, when in covalent bonds the electron is shared; does the electron obey the rule?
SPurushottama's user avatar
13 votes
2 answers
11k views

How do Electrons Cross Nodes in Orbitals?

I was wondering in orbitals that have nodes such as the p orbital, how does the electron move from one lobe to the other? I know that people say it is because of the wave/particle nature of electrons ...
Nanoputian's user avatar
  • 7,402
43 votes
2 answers
290k views

Difference between shells, subshells and orbitals

What are the definitions of these three things and how are they related? I've tried looking online but there is no concrete answer online for this question.
Amuna's user avatar
  • 1,203
21 votes
1 answer
2k views

How to think of solvated electrons?

This excellent answer explains at length what's happening in this fascinating video entitled Liquid Electrons - Periodic Table of Videos. In the screenshot below, the metallic-looking solvated ...
uhoh's user avatar
  • 5,898
16 votes
1 answer
2k views

What is happening in this video of solvated electrons donated from sodium in ammonia?

I just saw the Periodic Video Liquid Electrons - Periodic Table of Videos where sodium is added to liquid ammonia. The demonstration shows that even if electrons are solvated, if you have a high ...
uhoh's user avatar
  • 5,898
-1 votes
1 answer
501 views

A question regarding excitation of electrons in atomic orbital [closed]

In Bohr's model of an atom, the formula used to find the energy between the 2 orbits and wavelength of emitted photon was valid only for single electron species like hydrogen.In the case of a multi-...
AJknight's user avatar

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