![nuclear model of the atom nuclear model of the atom](https://cdn.britannica.com/76/22476-050-3F3FF217/model-Diagram-Rutherford-atom-nucleus-space-electrons.jpg)
If an electron "jumps" a shell, it is said to have absorbed energy, and vice versa for electrons that "fall" to lower/closer orbits or shells. The second main point is that the energy "needed" by the electron to maintain a 'larger' orbit (i.e., further away from the nucleus) is necessarily more than that required to maintain a smaller orbit.Īnd the final point is that radiation is absorbed or emitted when an electron moves from one orbit or shell to another. The first point is that electrons orbit the nucleus in discrete levels, called shells, and they have a set size and amount (quanta) of energy. This is why, in part, it is still taught to students today. The main takeaway points about the atom are relatively short and straightforward to understand. What are the main points of Bohr's model? In Bohr's defense, these phenomena had not yet been described when Bohr formulated his model. The model also provides an incorrect value for the ground state orbital angular momentum measurement and is less helpful in modeling larger atoms. However, as we know it today, he correctly proposed that the energy and radii of the orbits of electrons in atoms are quantized (have a measurable amount of energy). For example, it violates (an admittedly strong term) something called the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle, as it states that electrons have a known radius and orbit. This doesn't mean Bohr's Model is wrong, per se, only that it is not entirely correct. Now primarily considered obsolete for practicing scientists, it is still a fundamental component of any high school education in science. The model explained that the quantum of action could only determine the orbit occupied by an electron and that electromagnetic radiation from an atom occurred when an electron jumped to a lower-energy orbit. In short, the Bohr Model consists of a central positively charged nucleus (usually depicted as small), surrounded by negatively charged electrons moving in discrete orbits.
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You may not know its name, but you are probably more than au fait with the basic concept. What was Bohr's model of the atom called?įor anyone who has taken at least some basic lessons in chemistry, you are probably more than familiar with Bohr's "New" model for the atom. Let's take a closer look at this crucial stepping stone on the road to our current understanding of quantum physics. However, his "New" model for the atom, developed with Ernest Rutherford, remains one of the most remarkable intellectual feats in physics and is still taught to millions of young minds every year.