Bohr Model of the

Atom
And Atomic Spectra
 Atomic
• One of the major Spectra
highlights of Modern Physics
is the emission spectra of the elements.
• Imagine shining the light from a heated
filament through a prism.
• The light is separated into a range of colors.
• This spectrum is called a continuous
spectrum since it is a continuous band of
colors.
 Atomic Spectra

• Now imagine heating a gas-filled tube.

• The gas will emit some EM radiation.
• After this light passes through a prism, only
certain lines of color appear.
 Atomic Spectra

This type of spectrum is called an emission-

line spectrum.
• Because it is due to the light emitted by the gas
and it is not continuous
 Atomic
Spectra
• Here are some
emission spectra
for various
elements.
• Notice that each
has its own
distinct sets of
lines.
 Bohr Model of the
Atom
• Bohr constructed a model of the atom
called the Bohr model:
• The atom forms a miniature “solar system.”
• The nucleus is at the center and the electrons
move about the nucleus in well-defined orbits.
• The electron orbits are quantized.
• The electrons can only be in certain orbits about
a given atomic nucleus.
• Electrons may “jump” from one orbit to
another.
 Bohr Model of the Atom

• Here is a figure that

illustrates the Bohr
model.
• The electron orbits
the nucleus.
• The electron can
only orbit in
specific orbits.
 Bohr Model of the Atom

• Transitions from one orbit to another involve

discrete amounts of energy.
• The energy to change levels is the difference in
the two energy levels.
• Let’s consider
Bohr hydrogen…
Model of the Atom
• One electron and one proton
• Orbit 1 is the innermost orbit and corresponds
to the lowest energy state of the electron.
• The amount of energy required to just remove
an electron from the proton is the ionization
energy.
• The electron is no longer bound to the
nucleus.
• The atom is ionized because there is no
longer the same number of electrons and
 Bohr Model of the Atom
• Imagine an electron that is in the sixth
allowed orbit.
• So it has energy E6
• Let the electron make a transition to the
second orbit.
• So it has energy E2
• The electron must lose energy in the
amount
E E6  E2
 Bohr Model of the
Atom
• This is called a radiative transition because
the electron loses energy by emitting a
photon of the appropriate energy.
• The change in energy of the electron must
equal the photon energy:
E E6  E2 hf
• This gives a formula for the frequency of the
emitted light according to which orbits are
involved in the transition.
 Bohr Model of the
• The frequency of theAtom
emitted light is
proportional to the energy of the electron
orbits involved in the
transition.
• A downward electron
transition can also
occur during a collision
with another particle.
• A collisional transition
 Bohr Model of the
• An atom can also Atom
absorb a photon.
• The electron can
gain energy from the
incoming photon.
• This increase in the
electron’s energy
causes it to
transition
to a higher energy
orbit.
 Bohr Model of the
Atom
• If broad-spectrum light is passed through a
material, the light will cause transitions to
higher energy orbits.
• This reduces the number of photons of the
corresponding energy.
 Bohr Model of the
Atom
• The spectrum emerging from the
material has dark bands at certain
frequencies.
• This type of spectrum is called an
absorption spectrum.
 Synthesis
A hydrogen atom initially in
Since electron transitions may occur
the n =only3 level
Usingfrom
theoneemits
allowedaenergy
energy-level photon state
and ends todiagramup shown
another, in arrows
the the
at the ground
representing
right,
we can
such give a more
transitions must complete
begin and end
state. Withpicture
the
of the
help
emission
of the
on allowed levels within the energy-
energy-level
spectrum
level diagram
of hydrogen.
diagram. on the
In this case: 12.09 eV
Suppose an atom
= ΔEin=following
the
E2 –nE= 2
right, answer
photon energythe
state undergoes a transition to
1

questions. = -3.4 eV – (-13.6 eV)

the n = 1 state by emitting a
photon. The = 10.2 eVshould
transition
a)What This is isthe
be represented
energy
a photon ofbyUV of the
anlight.
arrow 10.2 eV
emitted photon?
drawn from the initial level to
b)If this the final level. The photon that
atom then absorbs a
is emitted has an energy equal
secondto the photon
differenceand returns
in energy
between the two levels.
to the n = 3 state, what
must the energy of this
 SpectroscopyApplication
has
grown to be one of the
most useful tools for
chemical analysis.
Suspected poisons or
substances found at a
crime scene can be
identified by comparing
their line spectra to
those in catalog of
known elements and
compounds. Astronomers can determine what
chemicals exist in the atmospheres of stars by
examining spectra of the starlight with the aid of
telescopes.