Who first verified Coulomb's Law for the interaction of a proton and electron? Was it Rutherford? Bohr?
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$\begingroup$ If you meant to ask who first used coulomb's law to explain the interaction between the proton and electron in the atom, it must be Bohr. $\endgroup$– SensebeDec 21, 2013 at 22:28
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$\begingroup$ @VINAY: Yes, that's what I mean. $\endgroup$– GeremiaDec 23, 2013 at 19:49
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2 Answers
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If you look up Bohr Model in any elementary Modern Physics text, it will be shown as follows.
He surmised that the mechanical and electrical force between proton and electron must be equal for stability = mv^2/R = ke^2/R^2, where the latter is Coulomb's Law.
He went on to predict that E(ground state) = -ke^2/2R = -13.6eV, using the Bohr radius for R.
It had been well established from spectral analysis that -13.6eV is correct, which was a major triumph for Bohr and the rest is history.
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$\begingroup$ Yes, certainly a Coulomb potential predicts -13.6 eV. $\endgroup$– GeremiaDec 23, 2013 at 19:51
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I think you are confused here - Coulomb's Law refers to electrostatic interactions and atoms are neutral particles so Coulomb's Law they are not related. If you are asking who first verified that atoms have a concentration of charge at their centre, then yes Rutherford was the first to show this.
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$\begingroup$ But isn't Rutherford's $cos^4$ law derived for a Coulomb potential? $\endgroup$– GeremiaDec 23, 2013 at 19:49
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$\begingroup$ Rutherford's law relates the observed rate of particles to the scattering angle according to $cosec^4(\theta)$, but this assumes a Coulomb potential. The Coulomb's Law describes the strength of the interaction as a function of distance. $\endgroup$– kd88Dec 24, 2013 at 22:01