Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 18, 2026
09:45
A Protocol for Safe Lithiation Reactions Using Organolithium Reagents
Published on: November 12, 2016
Electron affinity of 7Li.
Krzysztof Pachucki1, Jacek Komasa
1Institute of Theoretical Physics, Warsaw University, Hoza 69, 00-681 Warsaw, Poland. krp@fuw.edu.pl
The Journal of Chemical Physics
|December 6, 2006
Summary
We precisely calculated the electron affinity of the lithium atom using advanced quantum mechanics methods. Our results closely match recent experimental measurements, validating the theoretical approach.
Area of Science:
- Quantum Chemistry
- Atomic Physics
Background:
- Accurate calculation of atomic properties is crucial for understanding chemical and physical phenomena.
- Previous theoretical methods for lithium and its negative ion had limitations in precision.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compute highly accurate nonrelativistic wave functions for the lithium atom and its negative ion.
- To determine relativistic and radiative corrections to energy levels.
- To obtain a precise value for the electron affinity of the lithium atom.
Main Methods:
- Employing variationally optimized exponentially correlated Gaussian functions.
- Utilizing an expansion in powers of the fine-structure constant (alpha).
- Computing expectation values of singular operators using effective Hamiltonians and expectation value identities.
Main Results:
- Obtained accurate nonrelativistic energies for lithium and its negative ion.
- Calculated relativistic and radiative corrections.
- Determined the electron affinity of the lithium atom to be 4984.96(18) cm(-1).
Conclusions:
- The calculated electron affinity shows excellent agreement with the latest experimental data.
- The theoretical methodology provides a reliable approach for high-precision atomic calculations.
- This study advances the understanding of electron affinity in alkali atoms.
Related Concept Videos
03:07Electron Affinity
The electron affinity (EA) is the energy change for adding an electron to a gaseous atom to form an anion (negative ion).
03:26Electron Configuration of Multielectron Atoms
The alkali metal sodium (atomic number 11) has one more electron than the neon atom. This electron must go into the lowest-energy subshell available, the 3s orbital, giving a 1s22s22p63s1 configuration. The electrons occupying the outermost shell orbital(s) (highest value of n) are called valence electrons, and those occupying the inner shell orbitals are called core electrons. Since the core electron shells correspond to noble gas electron configurations, we can abbreviate electron...
02:54Electronegativity
Whether a bond is nonpolar or polar covalent is determined by a property of the bonding atoms called electronegativity.
03:12Ionization Energy
The amount of energy required to remove the most loosely bound electron from a gaseous atom in its ground state is called its first ionization energy (IE1). The first ionization energy for an element, X, is the energy required to form a cation with 1+ charge:
02:13Nuclear Binding Energy
The difference between the calculated and experimentally measured masses is known as the mass defect of the atom. In the case of helium-4, the mass defect indicates a “loss” in mass of 4.0331 amu – 4.0026 amu = 0.0305 amu. The loss in mass accompanying the formation of an atom from protons, neutrons, and electrons is due to the conversion of that mass into energy that is evolved as the atom forms. The nuclear binding energy is the energy produced when the atoms’ nucleons are bound together;...
03:08Atomic Radii and Effective Nuclear Charge
The elements in groups of the periodic table exhibit similar chemical behavior. This similarity occurs because the members of a group have the same number and distribution of electrons in their valence shells.