mathslover 3 years ago What is the ratio of potential energy to total energy o electron?

1. mathslover

@hartnn

2. mathslover

@akash123 @ganeshie8 @UnkleRhaukus @lgbasallote

3. UnkleRhaukus

total energy as in ; mass energy?

4. mathslover

a) -2 b) 2 c) 1 d) -1 @UnkleRhaukus can't say exactly

5. UnkleRhaukus

well i dont think negative energy makes much sense in this question

6. mathslover

Yes, since total energy and potential energy both are $$-ve$$ and their ratio will be positive... (for electron)

7. UnkleRhaukus

how is either negative/?

8. mathslover

well since : 2 potential energy = total energy

9. mathslover

should the answer be 2 : 1 ? Well @UnkleRhaukus In the case of electron, both are negative

10. UnkleRhaukus

really?

11. mathslover

yes...

12. UnkleRhaukus

i dont know what you mean

13. mathslover

total energy = -ve potential energy = - ve and hence : their ratio will be +ve

14. mathslover

@hartnn and @lgbasallote any suggestions/ideas ?

15. anonymous

I assume you're basing this on an electron orbiting a nucleus (which you need to say, otherwise this doesn't make any sense), in which case the virial theorem states that on the average, $2T = -U$ where T is the kinetic energy and U is the potential energy. The total energy is thus $E = T + U = -\frac{1}{2}U + U = \frac{1}{2}U$

16. mathslover

OK very right .. so the answer is 2 ?

17. anonymous

The ratio of total energy to potential energy is 1/2, but the ration of potential energy to total energy is 2.

18. anonymous

ratio*

19. mathslover

lol I changed the question wrong

20. mathslover

thanks @Jemurray3