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Ch. 40 - Molecules and Solids
Giancoli Douglas - Physics for Scientists and Engineers 5th edition
Giancoli Douglas5th editionPhysics for Scientists and EngineersISBN: 9780137488179Non è quello che usi tu?Cambia libro di testo
Capitolo 37, Problema 72a

One possible form for the potential energy (U) of a diatomic molecule (Fig. 40–8) is called the Morse Potential:


U=U0[1−e−a(r−r0)]2U=U_0\(\left\)[1-e^{-a(r-r_0)}\(\right\)]^2


(a) Show that r0 represents the equilibrium distance and U0 the dissociation energy.

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1
Step 1: Start by analyzing the Morse potential equation: \( U = U_0 [1 - e^{-a(r - r_0)}]^2 \). The goal is to show that \( r_0 \) represents the equilibrium distance and \( U_0 \) represents the dissociation energy. Recall that the equilibrium distance corresponds to the point where the force acting on the molecule is zero, which is equivalent to the minimum of the potential energy function.
Step 2: To find the equilibrium distance, take the derivative of \( U \) with respect to \( r \) and set it equal to zero: \( \frac{dU}{dr} = 0 \). Use the chain rule to differentiate \( U \) with respect to \( r \). The derivative of \( e^{-a(r - r_0)} \) with respect to \( r \) is \( -a e^{-a(r - r_0)} \).
Step 3: Solve \( \frac{dU}{dr} = 0 \) to find the value of \( r \) that minimizes \( U \). Substituting \( r = r_0 \) into the equation, you will find that the exponential term \( e^{-a(r - r_0)} \) becomes \( e^0 = 1 \), which simplifies the expression. This confirms that \( r_0 \) is the equilibrium distance.
Step 4: To show that \( U_0 \) represents the dissociation energy, evaluate the potential energy \( U \) at \( r = r_0 \). Substituting \( r = r_0 \) into the Morse potential equation, the term \( [1 - e^{-a(r - r_0)}]^2 \) becomes \( [1 - 1]^2 = 0 \), so \( U = 0 \) at \( r = r_0 \). Now, consider the limit as \( r \to \infty \): the exponential term \( e^{-a(r - r_0)} \to 0 \), and \( U \to U_0 \). This shows that \( U_0 \) is the energy required to dissociate the molecule.
Step 5: Summarize the findings: \( r_0 \) represents the equilibrium distance because it minimizes the potential energy, and \( U_0 \) represents the dissociation energy because it is the energy required to separate the atoms completely (\( r \to \infty \)).

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Morse Potential

The Morse Potential is a mathematical model that describes the potential energy of a diatomic molecule as a function of the distance between its atoms. It accounts for the attractive forces at longer distances and the repulsive forces at shorter distances, providing a more accurate representation of molecular interactions compared to simpler models like the harmonic oscillator.
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Electric Potential

Equilibrium Distance (r₀)

The equilibrium distance, denoted as r₀, is the distance between the two atoms in a diatomic molecule at which the potential energy is minimized. At this distance, the attractive and repulsive forces balance each other, resulting in a stable configuration. Deviations from r₀ lead to either an increase in potential energy or a force that drives the atoms back toward this distance.
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Dissociation Energy (U₀)

Dissociation energy, represented as U₀, is the amount of energy required to separate the two atoms of a diatomic molecule completely, moving them to an infinite distance apart. In the context of the Morse Potential, U₀ corresponds to the potential energy at the equilibrium distance r₀, indicating the energy barrier that must be overcome to break the bond between the atoms.
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