what happens to electrons and protons when hydrgen is at absolute zero?

Question

Would the electron be approaching the speed of light ? .Isnt C^2 =K* Mass of electron/orbit radius?

Wasnt this scenario called Einstein-bose condensate?

Answer 1

Nothing.

Electrons do not orbit the nucleus in any classical sense. They form "oribtals" (a bad term that hangs over from the orbits model) that are solutions to the quantum mechanical Schroedinger wave equation. The usual interpretation of this is that they form a probabilistic cloud that describes where they are likely to be. There is NO temperature dependence to this.

Absolute zero is a temperature measure, and it has several meanings. The easiest to understand is the kinetic one - this says that at absulute zero there are no lattice vibrations. Lattice vibrations means movement of the nuclei (protons) themselves - this movement is of course constrained and determined by the interaction between electrons and protons.

In reality, absolute zero is not reached when nuclei stop vibrating. Nuclei themselves have energy levels, and these can also be reduced (usually by magnetic relaxation).

Answer 2

Nothing happens to the subatomic particals of atoms at different temperatures. The electrons of Hydrogen would have the same kinetic energy at Absolute zero(which is not really the absence of all heat, it's where all heat that can be removed has been removed) that they would have at 50,000 degrees. Electrons move at NEARLY the speed of light. Having less temperature would definitely not speed them up. If anything it would slow them down, as it does the vibration of the atom. But for some reason, unanswered, temperature does not affect sub-atomic particles. What's wierd is that's kind of like dropping a piano 20 stories and expecting it to bounce without breaking. How can a system be affected, but not the components of that same system? Strange...

The scenario of the Einstein-bose state is a newly discovered quantum-state where subatomic particles lose their identifying properties. Scientists have seen materials in this state creep up the sides of flasks for more than 5 seconds before losing stability. But the two things the electrons kept were their orbital velocity and their charge opposite the neucleus. One thing that did happen to the electrons was that they could jump from atom to atom without a systematic overall charge. This is believed to be what caused the atoms to gain a quality similar to the capilary effect, without a medium other than air and hard surface.

Answer 3

Since we haven't actually reached that point, and it doesn't appear that we are going to even reach exactly absolute zero, it becomes hard to tell.

But I think that absolute zero has more to do with the atoms vibrating than the protons and electrons movements. Perhaps the atoms would remain stationary, but the protons and electrons would still be in movement.

Other possibilities could be: the formation of a miniature black hole; they would disappear into nothing; the electron would collapse into the nucleus of the atom; the breakdown of the hydrogen into pure energy.

Answer 4

First, how where you planning on getting the temperature down that low?

Second, if you have a system with absolutely no energy what so ever, how much kinetic energy can it have?

Well, if it doesn't have any kinetic energy, then nothing is moving.

Of course, this is all theoretical and sorta forms the basis for the Ideal Gas Law. However, the Ideal Gas Law doesn't apply to liquids or solids. There aren't any gases at or near 0 Kelvin.

Answer 5

They lose all kinetic energy, and stop moving. This is, of course, theoretical, since it's currently impossible to create an absolute zero environment.

Answer 6

Poster somewhere above is accurate in saying that it is forbidden by quantum mechanics, specifically the uncertainty principle.

Answer 7

It is impossible for anything to ever get to absolute zero (quantum mechanics).

Answer 8

no movement

Answer 9

they stop moving