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The ground state energy of hydrogen atom is -13.6 eV. What is the ratio of kinetic energy and potential energy of the electron of this state?

Asked in GUJCET 2026 · Energy levels and ionisation

• (1) -1/2
• (2) -1
• (3) 1/2
• (4) -2

Step-by-step solution

Why the other options are wrong

• (2) -1 is the ratio of the kinetic energy to the total energy, K/E=(13.6)/(-13.6), and not to the potential energy; the potential energy is twice the total energy in magnitude, so the ratio asked for is half of this one.
• (3) 1/2 has the right size but drops the sign: the kinetic energy is positive while the potential energy of a bound electron is negative, so their ratio cannot be positive.
• (4) -2 is the ratio the other way up, potential to kinetic: U/K=(-27.2)/(13.6)=-2.

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