electron volt

(noun)

A unit for measuring the energy of subatomic particles; the energy equal to that attained by an electron moving through a potential difference of one volt. Equivalent to 1.6022 x 10-19 joules.

Related Terms

  • particle accelerator
  • potential difference

Examples of electron volt in the following topics:

  • The Electron-Volt

    • The electron volt is a unit of energy useful in the physics of elementary charges and electricity.
    • The electron volt is defined as the amount of energy gained or lost by the charge of an electron moved across a one-volt electric potential difference.
    • Not an SI unit in itself, the electron volt became useful through experimentation.
    • Given that mass is equivalent to energy, the electron volt can measure mass.
    • In plasma physics, the electron volt can be used as a unit of temperature.
  • The Battery

    • In the redox (reduction-oxidation) reaction that powers the battery, cations are reduced (electrons are added) at the cathode, while anions are oxidized (electrons are removed) at the anode.
    • The electrical driving force across the terminals of a cell is known as the terminal voltage (difference) and is measured in volts.
    • When a battery is connected to a circuit, the electrons from the anode travel through the circuit toward the cathode in a direct circuit.
    • When it is connected to a circuit, that electric potential is converted to kinetic energy as the electrons travel through the circuit.
    • This orientation is important when drawing circuit diagrams to depict the correct flow of electrons.
  • Sources of EMF

    • Electromotive force, also called EMF (denoted and measured in volts) refers to voltage generated by a battery or by the magnetic force according to Faraday's Law of Induction, which states that a time varying magnetic field will induce an electric current.
    • Electromotive "force" is not considered a force (as force is measured in newtons) but a potential, or energy per unit of charge, measured in volts.
    • Charge separation takes place within the generator, with electrons flowing away from one terminal and toward the other, until, in the open-circuit case, sufficient electric field builds up to make further movement unfavorable.
  • Phasors

    • Electrical engineers, electronics engineers, electronic engineering technicians and aircraft engineers all use phasor diagrams to visualize complex constants and variables (phasors).
  • Parallel-Plate Capacitor

    • Capacitors are limited in their ability to prevent charge flow from one conductive surface to the other; their ability to hold charge is measured in Farads (F), which are defined as 1 ampere-second per volt, one joule per square volt and one Coulomb per volt, among other ways.
  • Electron Configurations

    • The electron configuration is the distribution of electrons of an atom or molecule in atomic or molecular orbitals.
    • The electron configuration is the distribution of electrons of an atom or molecule in atomic or molecular orbitals.
    • Electron configurations describe electrons as each moving independently in an orbital, in an average field created by all other orbitals.
    • For atoms or molecules with more than one electron, the motion of electrons are correlated and such picture is no longer exact.
    • However, the electronic wave function is usually dominated by a very small number of configurations and therefore the notion of electronic configuration remains essential for multi-electron systems.
  • Multielectron Atoms

    • However, when more electrons are involved, each electron (in the $n$-shell) feels not only the electromagnetic attraction from the positive nucleus, but also repulsion forces from other electrons in shells from '1' to '$n$'.
    • This causes the net force on electrons in the outer electron shells to be significantly smaller in magnitude.
    • Therefore, these electrons are not as strongly bonded to the nucleus as electrons closer to the nucleus.
    • Each has 10 electrons, and the number of nonvalence electrons is two (10 total electrons minus eight valence electrons), but the effective nuclear charge varies because each has a different number of protons:
    • A multielectron atom with inner electrons shielding outside electrons from the positively charged nucleus
  • Safety Precautions in the Household

    • The two earth/ground connections on the neutral wire force it to exist at zero volts relative to the earth, giving the wire its name.
    • The third earth/ground connection involves the case of the appliance, through the green earth/ground wire, forcing the case to be at zero volts.
    • It exists at zero volts and supplies an alternative return path for the current through the earth.
    • The case of the appliance is also grounded to zero volts.
  • Pictures of Modes

    • The whole system is driven by an HP function generator putting out a 10 volt RMS sine wave at the frequencies indicated in the caption.
  • Electron Microscopes

    • An electron microscope is a microscope that uses an electron beam to create an image of the target.
    • This idea is used in the electron microscope which is a type that uses electrons to create an image of the target.
    • The original form of electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, works in a similar manner using electrons.
    • In the electron microscope, electrons which are emitted by a cathode are formed into a beam using magnetic lenses (usually electromagnets).
    • This electron beam is then passed through a very thin target.
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