Question

Assertion (A): The total energy of an electron in a hydrogen atom is negative.

Reason (R): The centripetal force is provided by electrostatic force.

Options

• Both Assertion and Reason are true and Reason is the correct explanation of Assertion.

• Both Assertion and Reason are true but Reason is not the correct explanation of Assertion.

• Assertion is true but Reason is false.

• Both Assertion and Reason are false.

Answer 1

Both Assertion and Reason are true but Reason is not the correct explanation of Assertion.

Explanation:

Assertion (A) is true because the negative total energy indicates the electron is in a bound state relative to a free electron at infinite distance (zero energy). Reason (R) is true, as the electrostatic attraction provides the necessary centripetal force for the orbit. However, Reason (R) is not the correct explanation for Assertion (A); the binding energy definition, not the force balance itself, explains the negative sign.