EXPLAINING THE FORMATION OF SPECTRA THE FINGERPRINTS OF THE ELEMENTS

The work of Niels Bohr

Bohrs model of the atom:

Within an atom there exist certain orbits in which electrons can move. An electron may not occupy any orbits between these allowed orbits.

 Electrons in orbits further from the nucleus have more energy than those electrons closer to the nucleus. Each orbit can be viewed as an energy level. When an electron in an orbit further from the nucleus (energy E2 ) moves to an orbit closer to the nucleus (energy E2), a certain amount of energy is emitted. The levels were given the symbol n (called the principal quantum number).

Diagram showing the energy levels in an atom

E1

n=6 n=5 n=4 n=3

Energy energy of in different levels

E = E1 - E2
n=2

Energy levels

E2
n=1

 Energy values for the electron are negative. When an electron is so far from the nucleus that the force of attraction is zero, its potential energy is zero. But, at this distance it has the greatest amount of potential energy. As it gets closer to the nucleus, its potential energy decreases so the values are negative.

Energy levels and the line emission spectra

When the electron in a hydrogen atom is in the orbit closest to the nucleus, it possesses the least amount of energy. This is called the ground state. If the electron receives energy it can jump to a higher energy level. This energy can come from the high voltage of a discharge tube or the high temperature of a bunsen flame.

An electron in an energy level further from the nucleus than it normally occupies, is in the excited state.

The excited state is unstable and so the electron falls back to the lower, more stable energy level. In the process it radiates energy in the form of a quantum of electromagnetic radiation.

This amount of energy (E) is associated with light of specific frequency, according to the equation E = hf (Plancks equation).
f = c and so E = h c

The wavelength of this emitted radiation is: = hc E1 E2 A big energy drop results in the emission of electromagnetic radiation of short

Paschen series

Energy levels and the line absorption spectra

When light is shone through a cool gas, electrons absorb only those photons of light (quanta) that cause them to rise to allowed energy levels within the atom. The energy values of these photons correspond to the energy values of the photons in the emission spectrum. Analysis of the absorption spectra of distant stars allows astronomers to predict what gaseous elements surround the star.

Does Bohrs model always work?

Bohrs model explained the simple hydrogen atom adequately. It could not, however, explain the spectra of more complicated atoms. Later models included the wave nature of electrons and regions in space where electrons were able to move, rather than orbits. These regions are called orbitals. Transitions between these sub-levels of energy better explained spectra.

He was born in Denmark and later moved to Cambridge to do research.

He won the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1922

He based his model on the discovery that electromagnetic radiation is quantized and the energy of the photon can be calculated using Plancks equation.

He founded the Copenhagen Institute for Theoretical Physics at the age of 35.