Question: A neutral lithium atom has three electrons. As you will discover in Chapter 41, two of these electrons form an inner core, but the thirdthe

A neutral lithium atom has three electrons. As you will discover in Chapter 41, two of these electrons form an “inner core,” but the third—the valence electron—orbits at much larger radius. From the valence electron’s perspective, it is orbiting a spherical ball of charge having net charge +1e (i.e., the three protons in the nucleus and the two inner-core electrons). The energy required to ionize a lithium atom is 5.14 eV. According to Rutherford’s nuclear model of the atom, what are the orbital radius and speed of the valence electron?

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