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Unlike the planetary model's description of an atomic electron's position, the electron cloud model takes into account the quantum mechanical result known as the Heisenberg uncertainty principle. Heisenberg's uncertainty principle basically tells us that the more certain we are of a particle's position, the less certain we are of its momentum and its kinetic energy. This means that we can't say that an electron is at this exact spot while also saying that it's orbiting the nucleus with thisexact momentum, telling us that the planetary model of an atom is incorrect.

We can say that an electron has a certain probability to occupy a certain quantum state with a certain energy though. This is where the electron cloud comes in. The electron cloud is simply a model describing the spherical probability distribution of an electron's position around an atomic nucleus. The reason we use the word cloud in the model is to emphasize the fact that the electron's position is a probability function and therefore all spread out and fluffy, like a cloud.

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Q: How does the electron cloud model for atomic electrons differ from the planetary model?
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Related questions

How does electron differ from a neutro?

An electron bears a negative charge, a neutron has no charge.A neutron is about 2,000 times as massive as an electron.Neutrons exist in atomic nuclei, electrons orbit nuclei.


Do the atomic numbers of such isotopes differ?

No. Isotopes have the same atomic number, protons and electrons. They have different neutrons.


Do the atomic number of isotopes differ?

No. Isotopes have the same atomic number, protons and electrons. They have different neutrons.


How does an electron differ from neutron?

Neutrons are neutral sub atomic particles found in the nucleus of an atom (along with positively charged protons). Electrons are negatively charged sub atomic particles that are revolving around the nucleus of an atom. The mass of neutron is 1 amu and the mass of electron is about 1837 times less than that of neutron.


Does the atomic number equal the amount of neutrons?

no, the atomic number, for the most part, is how much protons and electrons there are. The number of neutrons is determined when you subtract the atomic number from the atomic mass. When chemical bonding happens however, the number of electrons and protons could differ.


How do atoms with different atomic numbers differ from each other?

It is because that they have a different number of protons and neutrons and electrons.


Do Isotopes differ from each other only in the number of electrons contained?

Isotopes differ in the number of neutrons. All atoms are neutral - they always contain the same number of protons (positive) as electrons (negative). If they lose or gain electrons, they become ions. If they lose or gain protons (as in radioactive decay), they become a different element. An element is defined by its atomic number, which is the number of protons. Atoms may differ in their atomic mass. The difference is due to differing numbers of neutrons. The atomic mass on the periodic chart is the proportional average of all the naturally occurring isotopes. To determine how many neutrons in an atom, subtract the atomic number from the atomic mass.


Do the atomic number for an ion differ from its neutral atom?

no. atomic number will be same as the number of protons will not change for an ion and its neutral atom, but the number of electrons will vary.


How does the modern electron cloud model of the atom differ from Bohr's original planetary model of atom?

An Atom Contains 12 Protons , Ho Many Elegtrons Are There In A Netural Atom?


How does the modern electron cloud model of Atoms differ from Bohr's original planetary model of Atom?

An Atom Contains 12 Protons , Ho Many Elegtrons Are There In A Netural Atom?


Isotopes of a particular element in the periodic table have which nuclear property in common?

They have the same number of protons and electrons, but they (only) differ in the number of neutrons (and so they differ in atomic massaccordingly)


How does the electrons differ from the atomic particles?

It really depends what particle you are comparing it to. Compared with the neutron and proton: The electron has a much smaller mass - roughly 2000 times smaller than the neutron or proton. As far as we know, the electron is a truly elementary particle. Protons and neutrons are made up of smaller particles (the quarks). The electron has a negative charge, the proton a positive charge, and the neutron is electrically neutral.