Question

Electrons exist in a cloud around the nucleus but are organized into energy shells.

- In which shell do electrons have the highest potential energy?

- Why do these electrons have the highest potential energy?

Answer 1

Electrons exist in a cloud around the nucleus but are organized into energy shells. In outermost shell electrons have the highest potential energy. When electron jump from higher to lower energy level some of the the potential energy is converted to light energy in the form of photons and some into kinetic energy.

The electron in an atom moves under the force of attraction between positive charged nucleus and moving negatively charged electrons. The potential energy between the two is negative. As the electron moves to higher orbit its potential energy becomes less negative as the distance between the nucleus and electrons increases. As electrons moves higher and higher orbits its potential energy becomes less and less negative and a stage comes when total energy of electrons is zero . When that happens the electron is not bound to atom and is free.