Why do electrons farther away from the nucleus have more energy?

TL;DR: Electron’s further from the nucleus are held more weakly by the nucleus, and thus can be removed by spending less energy. Hence we say they have higher energy.

What happens to the energy of an electron as it goes nearer to the nucleus?

If the energy of an atom is increased, an electron in the atom gets excited. Viewed simply, electrons are arranged in shells around an atom’s nucleus. Electrons closest to the nucleus will have the lowest energy. Electrons further away from the nucleus will have higher energy.

What happens to the probability of finding an electron as you move further away from the nucleus?

Electrons do not travel around the nucleus in simple circular orbits. Figure 1. An electron cloud: the darker region nearer the nucleus indicates a high probability of finding the electron, while the lighter region further from the nucleus indicates a lower probability of finding the electron.

Why do electrons move between energy levels?

As Neils Bohr showed, it is possible for electrons to move between energy levels. Light contains energy. The electron with its extra packet of energy becomes excited, and promptly moves out of its lower energy level and takes up a position in a higher energy level.

Why does potential energy increase when atoms closer?

For atoms that are very close together, the electrostatic repulsion of the two nuclei dominates. Pushing the atoms closer together works against this force, which is why the potential energy increases.

Why do energy levels get closer as they increase?

Unlike a ladder, which has a limited length, the energy levels of an atom extend infinitely out from the nucleus and the energy levels are not evenly spaced. As the distance from the nucleus increases, the levels get closer together and contain more-energetic electrons (Figure 5.4).

What is the relationship between the energy of an electron and the probability of finding it in an outer orbital?

Radial Probability Distribution Likewise, the lower the energy level an electron is located at, the higher chance it has of being found near the nucleus. The smaller the energy level (n) and the orbital angular momentum quantum number (l) of an electron is, the more likely it will be near the nucleus.

Why does the probability of finding an electron at a given distance from the nucleus in an s orbital does not depend on direction?

The 1s orbital is spherically symmetrical, so the probability of finding a 1s electron at any given point depends only on its distance from the nucleus. The probability density is greatest at r = 0 (at the nucleus) and decreases steadily with increasing distance.