Question

Question #21390

Answer 1

The potential energy of the electron decreases as it comes near to a proton.

Explanation:

We know from physics that the potential energy `U` of a charge `q` at a distance `r` from another charge `Q` is given by the formula

`color(blue)(bar(ul(|color(white)(a/a)U = (kqQ)/rcolor(white)(a/a)|)))" "`

where `k` is a proportionality constant.

The charge on an electron is -1, and the charge on a proton is +1.

Thus,

`U = (k"(+1)(-1)")/r = -k/r`

This means that, as the electron gets closer to the nucleus, the potential energy becomes increasingly negative.