Last updated on Monday, November 13th, 2023

A hydrogen atom (h-atom) is the simplest and most fundamental atom in the universe. It consists of just one proton in its nucleus and one electron orbiting around the nucleus. The proton carries a positive electric charge, while the electron has a negative charge.

About Hydrogen Atom

In the periodic chart, hydrogen atom lies at 1st position. The two particles, 1 electron and 1 proton inside it, remain bound by electrostatic attraction force. Because electron consist -ve and proton having +ve charge. This keeps the electron in orbit around the nucleus.

Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe and plays a crucial role in the formation of stars and galaxies. It is also essential for life on Earth, as it is a key component of water (H2O) and is involved in various chemical reactions.

The behavior of a hydrogen atom can be described using quantum mechanics, it is simplest and best example to show various theoretical and experimental explanations. Particularly the Schrödinger Equation, which provides a mathematical framework to understand the distribution of the electron’s energy levels and positions around the nucleus. The quantum mechanical model of the hydrogen atom allows us to predict the probability of finding the electron in various regions of space.

Bohr’s theory of atomic model was proposed successfully on hydrogen like atoms. First time radius and energies of different shells were calculated by this atomic model.

Details about Hydrogen Electrons

Hydrogen, as an element, contains one proton in its nucleus, and one electron orbiting around the nucleus. Electrons are subatomic particles that carry a negative electric charge.

Hydrogen has one electron in its stable form. This electron is found in first of the energy levels (shells) around the nucleus. This electron often referred to as the 1s orbital. The electron configuration of hydrogen is 1s, indicating that there is one electron in the 1s orbital. In s-orbital only two electrons can exist with opposite spin as per the Pauli’s exclusion principle.

Electrons in hydrogen (and other atoms) are found in specific energy levels or electron shells. These energy levels are quantized, meaning that electrons can only occupy certain discrete energy states. The energy levels are represented by the 4-quantum numbers, e.g.,

1. Principal quantum number (n)

2. Orbital Quantum Number (l)

3. Magnetic Quantum Number (m_l)

4. Spin Quantum Number (m_s)

In the hydrogen atom case, the 1s- electron having principal quantum number n = 1, other excited states may be; n = 2, and so on.

As you know that each energy level (shell), there are sublevels called orbitals. In the case of hydrogen, the 1s orbital is spherical and is the only orbital in the first energy level. It is often visualized as a cloud-like region where the electron is most likely to be found.

The next property of the electrons is “spin,” which is called an intrinsic angular momentum. Spin can have two values,  denoted as “up” and “down”.  Electrons in hydrogen and other atoms exhibit both particle-like and wave-like behaviors i.e., dual nature.

Isotope of Hydrogen

Three isotopes of hydrogen atom are naturally available and rest of the 4 are synthesized artificially, so I have added here only 3- isotopes of hydrogen;

1. Protium (¹h)
2. Deuterium (²h)
3. Tritium (³h)

Protium is the most abundant isotope of hydrogen, making up about 99.98% of all hydrogen atoms. It consists of one proton and no neutrons in its nucleus. This isotope is the simplest and lightest form of hydrogen.

Deuterium is the second most common isotope of hydrogen, accounting for approximately 0.02% of all hydrogen atoms. It contains one proton and one neutron in its nucleus. Deuterium is often referred to as “heavy hydrogen” due to its slightly greater atomic mass compared to protium.

and Tritium is a radioactive isotope of hydrogen and is quite rare in nature. It contains one proton and two neutrons in its nucleus. Tritium is unstable and decays over time, emitting a beta particle in the process. It has a half-life of about 12.3 years. Tritium is used in various applications, including nuclear research and some types of nuclear fusion experiments.

Here are some key points about these hydrogen isotopes:

Mass:

Protium has an atomic mass of approximately 1 atomic mass unit (amu),

deuterium has a mass of about 2.014 amu,

and tritium has a mass of around 3.016 amu.

Protium (P) is stable and does not undergo radioactive decay. Deuterium (D) is also stable, while tritium is radioactive and decays into ³He through beta decay. In beta decay process, one electron add means atomic number increases by one. Because of that reason here beta decay of ³H transformed into ³He.

³H —> ³He + e^–

Protium is by far the most abundant isotope of hydrogen, followed by deuterium, with tritium being a very minor component in nature. Deuterium and tritium have applications in nuclear physics, fusion research, and the development of nuclear weapons. Tritium, due to its radioactivity and short half-life, needs to be handled and stored with care.

Deuterium, being heavier than protium, exhibits some differences in chemical behavior. Compounds containing deuterium atoms (e.g., heavy water, D2O) have different physical and chemical properties compared to their hydrogen analogs. This “isotopic effect” is often used in scientific research and industrial processes.

Hydrogen Charges

Hydrogen, as an element, consists of one proton in its nucleus, having positive electric charge, and one electron orbiting the nucleus, which carries a negative electric charge. These two charged particles are the fundamental components of the hydrogen atom.

Proton charge is equal in magnitude but opposite in sign to the charge of an electron. The elementary charge (the charge of a proton) is approximately +1.602 x 10^-19 Coulombs.

The electron in a hydrogen atom carries a negative electric charge. The charge of an electron is approximately -1.6 × 10^-19 Coulombs. The electron’s charge is equal in magnitude but opposite in sign to the charge of a proton.

The attraction force in between the electrons and proton can be determined by the Coulomb’s law, which describes the force between two charged particles as being directly proportional to the product of their charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.

Applications of Hydrogen atom

Hydrogen atoms are important in various fields of science, including physics, chemistry, and astrophysics. They are often used as a model system for studying atomic and molecular interactions, and their spectral lines have been extensively studied and used in astronomy and spectroscopy to learn about the composition and properties of distant celestial objects.

Understanding the behavior of electrons in hydrogen atoms is a foundational concept in quantum mechanics.

The differences in properties among the isotopes of hydrogen atom make them useful in various fields of science and technology, ranging from nuclear physics to chemistry and astrophysics.

Frequently Asked Questions

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