# Potential energy of electron

1. Feb 2, 2007

### batsan

It is known that the potential energy of electron in the hydrogen atom is completely definite quantity, for given point . How we can measure it?

2. Feb 3, 2007

### Meir Achuz

"How we can measure it?" You can't place an electron at point r to measure
-e^2/r, but there are other ways to measure that V=-e^2/r is correct.
It leads to the experimental BE and energy levels of hydrogen and to the correct experimental e-p scattering.
This can be considered a measurement that V= -e^2/r is correct.

3. Feb 3, 2007

### batsan

Can you post me some links for this problem.
What is BE? May be Bose-Einstein?
How we can solve Schrodinger equation which have given wave function , but unknown pot. energy?
Thanks!

4. Feb 3, 2007

### cepheid

Staff Emeritus
I'm no expert on QM, but isn't the answer to this question simply, "you...can't!" I mean, if the Hamiltonian is not fully-defined, then you can't solve for its eigenstates.

Last edited: Feb 3, 2007
5. Feb 4, 2007

### batsan

Eigenstates are known. Unknown is only U(x).

6. Feb 4, 2007

### Staff: Mentor

I think Meir means "binding energy", that is, measurements of the ionization energies of hydrogen atoms.

7. Feb 5, 2007

### batsan

Thanks!
Of course, it's "binding energy". I didn't guess right.

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