Why do electrons move in specific orbits?

This is a common problem solved with physical chemistry. You could think that the electron's coulombic and centripetal force cause the electron to accelerate in a circular motion, just like how gravity makes a satellite orbit around the earth. It takes a force directed toward the center to keep an object in circular motion in that motion since an object in circular motion is always accelerating even if the radius isn't decreasing.

However, this orbit representation of an electron is very poor. It is actually better represented by an "electron cloud" where the electron has a certain probability of being within that cloud. You should google "electron cloud" and take a look at the pics. This a much better model than Bohr model.

They key is stability. Electrons move to the lowest orbital space available.

Electrons have energy. This is sufficient so they generally do not get pulled into the nucleus (although this can happen. Its called k shell capture).

this could be extra helpful suited for the chemistry section. it rather is astronomy. whether, the least difficult thank you to describe that's that electrons do no longer "orbit" the nucleus. do no longer think of of electrons as factors, think of of them as being "fuzzy." They exist in orbitals consistent with mathematical threat. An S orbital sounds like a sphere because of the fact the electron is in all risk someplace on the floor of that sphere. in case you opt to get extra in to it, the electron certainly exists everywhere on orbital at as quickly as, form of like a wave. 2 electrons can occupy an identical orbital offered that they have opposite spin. distinctive orbitals get their shapes from threat concept, and each and each is for the backside power state. You have been acceptable with regard to the doughnut formed orbital. d and f suborbitals are doughnut formed. those shapes make extra experience in case you photograph electrons like faces extremely of debris. The shapes are based on the concept of three dimensional around harmonics. think of the teardrop shape of a p sub-orbital. Now think of two human beings bouncing opposite one yet another on a trampoline. the floor of the trampoline might have a melancholy on one factor the place somebody is status, and can certainly be fairly lifted up on the factor the place the guy basically jumped into the air. in case you need to slow it down and basically check out the trampoline floor, you may see opposite teardrop shapes bent into the floor. in case you need to translate that to 3 dimensions you may get a shape that sounds like a p sub-orbital.