The kinetic energy of the electron in a hydrogen atom is ___ the magnitude of its total energy:

The kinetic energy of the electron in a…

Answer: equal to.

A equal to
B half of
C double
D one third of

Correct answer: A. equal to

Explanation: KE = −E<sub>total</sub>, so its magnitude equals that of the total energy.

Comparison of the Thomson model and the Rutherford model of the atom: in the Thomson plum pudding model alpha particles pass almost straight through a diffuse positive sphere, while in the Rutherford model a concentrated central nucleus deflects some alpha particles through large angles, with the lower panels showing the alpha particle source and gold foil and the observed result of wide-angle scattering

The Geiger–Marsden alpha-scattering result: a few alpha particles bounce back at large angles, which rules out Thomson’s diffuse model and demands a tiny, massive, positively charged nucleus. Image: Kurzon, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Concept context

Thomson's plum-pudding model, Rutherford's nuclear model from alpha-scattering, Bohr's postulates and hydrogen spectrum, spectral series (Lyman to Pfund), Rydberg formula, and limitations of each model.

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The kinetic energy of the electron in a hydrogen atom is ___ the magnitude of its total energy:

Concept context

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