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Bohr’s Model for Hydrogen Atom

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Estimated time: 11 minutes
CBSE: Class 12

Introduction

Niels Henrik David Bohr (1885–1962) was a Danish physicist who explained the hydrogen atom's spectrum using quantum ideas. He also contributed to clarifying conceptual problems in quantum mechanics and proposed the complementary principle.

Bohr modified Rutherford’s atomic model by adding ideas from the newly developing quantum hypothesis. In 1913, he concluded that classical mechanics and classical electromagnetism were not sufficient to explain atomic structure and atomic spectra.

CBSE: Class 12

Limitations of Rutherford's Atomic Model

Rutherford’s model assumes that the atom, with a central nucleus and revolving electrons, is stable, similar to a sun-planet system. However, the nucleus-electron system is governed by Coulomb’s law of force, not gravitational force.

According to classical electromagnetic theory:

  • An electron revolving in a circular orbit is constantly accelerated.
  • An accelerating charged particle emits electromagnetic radiation.
  • Therefore, the electron should continuously lose energy.
  • It should spiral inward and eventually fall into the nucleus.
  • Such an atom would not be stable.

Also, if the revolving electron emitted radiation continuously:

  • The frequency of emitted radiation would equal the frequency of revolution,
  • The frequency would change continuously as the electron spiralled inward,
  • And the atom would emit a continuous spectrum.

This contradicts the observed line spectrum. Therefore, classical ideas were not sufficient to explain atomic structure.

CBSE: Class 12

Bohr’s Theory

Bohr combined classical and early quantum concepts and presented his theory in the form of three postulates.

Bohr’s First Postulate

An electron in an atom can orbit in certain stable orbits without emitting radiant energy, contrary to the predictions of electromagnetic theory.

According to this postulate:

  • Each atom has certain definite stable states,
  • Each possible state has a definite total energy,
  • And these states are called the atom's stationary states.

Bohr’s Second Postulate

The electron revolves around the nucleus only in those orbits for which the angular momentum is an integral multiple of h/2π, where h is Planck’s constant.

Thus, the angular momentum of the orbiting electron is quantised:

L = \[\frac {nh}{2π}\]

Where n is an integer.

Bohr’s Third Postulate

An electron may make a transition from one specified non-radiating orbit to another orbit of lower energy. When this happens, a photon is emitted with energy equal to the difference between the initial and final states.

The frequency of the emitted photon is given by:

hν = Ei − Ef

where Ei and Ef are the energies of the initial and final states, and Ei > Ef.

CBSE: Class 12

Radius of the nth Orbit

For the hydrogen atom, the radius of the nth possible orbit is obtained using Bohr’s second postulate of the quantisation of angular momentum.

The radius is:

\[r_n=\left(\frac{n^2}{m}\right)\left(\frac{h}{2\pi}\right)^2\left(\frac{4\pi\varepsilon_0}{e^2}\right)\]

This expression gives the radius of the allowed orbit corresponding to the quantum number n.

CBSE: Class 12

Total Energy of the Electron

The total energy of the electron in the stationary states of the hydrogen atom is:

\[E_n=-\frac{me^4}{8n^2\varepsilon_0^2h^2}\]

Substituting values, this becomes:

\[E_n=-\frac{2.18\times10^{-18}}{n^2}\mathrm{J}\]

Since atomic energies are often expressed in electron volts, and 1 eV = 1.6 × 10-19 J, this can be written as:

\[E_n=-\frac{13.6}{n^2}\mathrm{eV}\]

The negative sign of the total energy means that the electron is bound to the nucleus. Energy is required to remove an electron from a hydrogen atom to infinity.

CBSE: Class 12

Example

Classical Electromagnetic Theory and Frequency of Emitted Light

According to classical electromagnetic theory, the initial frequency of the light emitted by an electron orbiting a proton in the hydrogen atom can be calculated from the orbital frequency.

Given:

  • Radius of orbit = 5.3 × 10-11 m.
  • Velocity of electron = 2.2 × 106 m s-1.

Using:

ν = \[\frac{v}{2\pi r}\]
ν ≈ 6.6 × 1015 Hz

Thus, according to classical electromagnetic theory, the initial frequency of the emitted light is 6.6 × 1015 Hz.

CBSE: Class 12

Key Points: Bohr’s Model for Hydrogen Atom

  • Bohr accepted Rutherford’s nuclear model but modified it using quantum ideas.
  • Classical mechanics and electromagnetism could not explain atomic-scale behaviour fully.
  • Only certain orbits are allowed for the electron in the hydrogen atom.
  • These orbits have definite total energy.
  • Electron transitions between energy levels lead to photon emission.
  • The energy of the hydrogen atom is negative because the electron is bound to the nucleus.

Video Tutorials

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Shaalaa.com | Atoms part 8 (Bohr model and atomic spectra)

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Atoms part 8 (Bohr model and atomic spectra) [00:15:10]
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