Categories: Site glossary
an alternative conception of the electrical interactions in the atom based on the idea that a nucleus can give rise to a set mount of force (depending on its charge) that is 'shared-out' between the electrons around it
"As one example, students commonly hold a so-called'conservation of force' conception that an atomic nucleus gives rise to a certain fixed amount of force which is shared between the electrons around it. Students will suggest that when an atom is ionised, the removed electron's share of the force is redistributed making a subsequent ionisation more difficult…" (Taber, 2019, p.459)
[Please be aware that a word may have different nuances, or even a different meaning, according to context.]« Back to Index
