What prevents electrons from leaving an atom despite their high speed around the nucleus?

The reason that electrons remain bound to an atom and do not escape, despite their high speed, is due to the electromagnetic force. This force arises from the attraction between the positively charged nucleus and the negatively charged electrons. The nucleus contains protons, which carry a positive charge, while electrons are negatively charged. This charge difference creates a strong attractive force that keeps the electrons in their orbits around the nucleus.

While other forces such as gravity do exist, they are negligible on the atomic scale compared to electromagnetic forces, which dominate interactions at this level. Magnetic forces also play a role in certain contexts but are not the primary reason electrons stay bound to the nucleus. Additionally, the idea that electrons are bound by their speed is misleading, as it is fundamentally the electrostatic attraction that maintains their orbit. Thus, the correct understanding emphasizes the crucial role of the attraction between the positive nucleus and the negative electrons in keeping the electrons within the atom.