MOVEMENT OF ELECTRONS
I have been keenly following the debate on the explanation of the motion of an electron with regard to the influence of 'strong nuclear force', 'electrostatic force' 'coulomb force', 'centripetal force', 'centrifugal force', 'tangential and radial forces' etc. etc. on a moving electron, till the introduction of 'inertial frames' that gave a new twist to the debate and attempt was made to reconcile the apparent differences earlier surfaced.
I have some doubts on this debate and request a clarification from the participating authors, which are as follows:
All through the referred debate, the movement of the electron, under the electrostatic force or coulomb force of the nucleus, has been explained in the light of Newtonian Mechanics or Classical Physics just as Rutherford and later Niels Bohr did. But the uncertainty in position and velocity of electrons overruled Bohr's picture of the electron's fixed and well defined circular orbits and classical mechanics was successively abandoned as the basis for describing the behaviour of electron movement in atoms correctly.
Later, as the impossibility of simultaneously determining the position and velocity of a moving electron at any moment with good degree of precision rendered meaningless the talk about their trajectory or well defined circular orbits, scientists looked for and finally found the answer in Quantum or Wave Mechanics, that takes into account both the aspects of uncertainty and wave-particle duality of electrons, which the classical approach failed to explain earlier.
Departing from the picture of the well defined circular orbits, quantum mechanical model tells us that we can not say simply that the electron exists at a particular point but asserts certain regions in space around the nucleus where the probability of finding the electron is maximum. These regions are expressed by mathematical expressions which are called orbital wave functions or simply orbitals. This wave equation representing the orbitals replaced the idea of circular orbits with a fixed circumference and radius. On top of this in a multi-electron atom with number of orbitals, the picture becomes even more complex and the movements of the electrons in gradually farther orbitals from the nucleus are not circular (or spherical in three dimensions) and acquire different forms of probable three dimensional regions.
My question is, if the explanation of electron movement requires such advanced concept like orbitals (and not orbits) and its motion could only be described by probability functions, how the subject has so far been simplified to be compared with whirling of stones tied with thread, planets revolving around the sun and so on. Also since the probability regions of electrons in various orbitals are different how their motion could be generalized into such a simple rotatory motion? It has been dealt with as if electron is a classical physical object whose motion is governed by Newton's second and third laws (which are also referred to during the explanations), whereas it has been established that subatomic particles do not move according to Newton's laws of motion. Was it not similar to the same mistakes and insufficiencies in the Rutherford's model and Bohr's postulate which were corrected later by Quantum Mechanics?
Again the electrons move with tremendous velocities close to that of light, which also calls for Relativistic approach in the description of their motion. Therefore a Quantum-Relativistic treatment is required to completely explain the motions of all sub-atomic particles including electron.
I would like to emphasize one thing that I always consider myself a learner as my conceptions too may be flawed that need rectification (and I don't mind if pointed out). I also like to keep myself reminded about the fact that there might be other lay readers too who may be interested in the subject and like to understand bits of Physics as well. Therefore with honesty I try to express, as well as learn subjects the simplest possible way. Hence it will be of great interest how and if anyone does the job of putting forward the theories of two most abstract and complex branches of modern Physics like Quantum Mechanics and Relativity, in simple layman's language. In my opinion, the simpler it is, the greater the strength of the author would be.
With Love and Best wishes to all.
Surojit
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