A single electron orbiting"Hydrogenic" atom has a Potential V = 13.6 * Z^2 volts
Thus for hydrogen Z = 1, V = 13.6 and for oxygen Z = 8, 13.6 * 64 = 870 volts
Argon 13.6 Z^2 = 13.6 * 18^2 = 4,406 volts, Potassium 4910 volts etc.
Since the potential V at a distance r from a charge = k * q/2r volts and the
Electrostatic attractive or repulsive force Fes = k * Z1 * Z2 * q^2/r^2, how
close can a bare proton (H+) approach a hydrogenic (one electron) atom?
Or, how far into an oxygen atom of an H2O molecule does a hydrogen atom
need to go in order to capture one of the high energy inner shell electrons of the
oxygen atom which can then be taken up to orbit the proton with the same energy
it had in it's oxygen orbit, allowing that one of the outer (low energy) electrons
of the H2O molecule will replace the proton-captured oxygen electron with
a commensurate energy release?
Prompt answer not required. :-)
Fred
