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Because the electrons are in constant motion(momentum), so to find their exact location one must find this location plus momentum at the same time. It is thought to be impossible to find the exact location and momentum simultaniously, because, to find location you must stop the particle, and to find momentum the particle must be moving.

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βˆ™ 15y ago
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βˆ™ 6mo ago

The exact position of an electron in an atom cannot be determined because of Heisenberg's uncertainty principle, which states that it is impossible to simultaneously know both the exact position and momentum of a particle with certainty. Additionally, electrons behave as waves in quantum mechanics, making their position inherently uncertain.

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βˆ™ 12y ago

It is due to the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle, where one cannot know both the position and velocity of a particle. If you know that there is a high probability of finding a particle in one particular region, then you will have less certainty of the particle's position. Because all particles in an atom are in constant motion, you will not know with certainty where a particle is.

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βˆ™ 12y ago

because electron has dual nature.it acts as a wave & also as a particle. the exact path of a wave cannot be determined.only probability of electron can be given

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βˆ™ 15y ago

It moves too fast around the middle of the adiom.

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βˆ™ 13y ago

It is impossible because the elextrons are constantly in motion.

add. And even their paths are probabilistic and cannot be predicted accurately.

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Q: Why cant you determine the exact location of an electron in an atom?
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Related questions

Where the location of electron?

Electrons are negatively charged particles that orbit around the nucleus of an atom. They are found in electron shells or energy levels surrounding the nucleus. The exact location of an electron within an atom is described by its probability distribution, which is governed by quantum mechanics.


What is the location of electrons?

Electrons are located in electron clouds surrounding the nucleus of an atom. They occupy various energy levels or orbitals that determine their distance from the nucleus.


What location in an atom does an electron have?

Electrons are most commonly found in the electron cloud surrounding the nucleus of an atom. The exact location of an electron within this cloud cannot be pinpointed precisely due to the probabilistic nature of electron behavior described by quantum mechanics.


What is the electrons location?

Electrons orbit the nucleus of an atom. The exact location of a specific electron, however, can not be known for certain. The general area where the electron might be found is in its orbital.


According to the modern theory the exact location of what is uncertain?

According to modern physics, the exact location of an electron within an atom is uncertain. This uncertainty is described by the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle, which states that it is impossible to simultaneously know the exact position and momentum of a particle.


What is a atom outer electron shell made of?

An atom's outer electron shell is made of electrons. These electrons are negatively charged particles that occupy energy levels around the nucleus of the atom. The number of electrons in the outer shell determines the atom's chemical properties and how it interacts with other atoms.


Does an electron determine what element it is?

The number of protons determine which element an atom is and normally the number of electrons is equal to it. Strip an electron off an iron atom and you have an ionised iron atom.


What are features of the electron cloud model of an atom?

An electron's exact position cannot be pinpointed.


An uncertainty theory used with the modern electron cloud model of the atom that says it is impossible to determine an electron's exact position and speed as it moves around?

Werner Heisenberg proposed in 1927 the uncertainty principle.


What is the location of a electron?

The location of an electron is circling the outside of an atom.


What does the wave models say about electrons?

Wave models describe electrons as both particles and waves. They predict the probability distribution of finding an electron in a specific location around the nucleus of an atom, rather than a specific trajectory. The wave nature of electrons is central to quantum mechanics and explains various phenomena such as electron diffraction and the quantization of energy levels in atoms.


Does the number and location of the atomic mass unit in any atom determine the kinds of chemical reactions that atom may undergo?

No, the number and location of atomic mass units do not determine the kinds of chemical reactions an atom may undergo. It is the number and arrangement of electrons in an atom's outer shell that determine its chemical reactivity. The outer shell electron configuration is what influences how atoms interact with other atoms to form chemical bonds.