CHAPTER 2

ATOMIC STRUCTURE
2.1 Bohrs Atomic Model
2.2 Quantum Mechanical Model
2.3 Electronic Configuration
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1
n2

Bohrs Atomic Model

At the end of this topic students should be able to:-

1)

Describe the Bohrs atomic postulates.

2)

Explain the existence of electron energy levels in an

atom and calculate the energy of electron

3)

Differentiate between line spectrum and continuous

spectrum.

4)

Perform calculation involving the Rydberg equation

for Lyman, Balmer, Paschen, Brackett and Pfund
series

5)

Outline the weaknesses of Bohrs atomic model.

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BOHRS ATOMIC MODELS

In 1913, a young Dutch physicist, Niels
Bhr proposed a theory of atom that
shook the scientific world.
The atomic model he described had
electrons circling a central nucleus
that contains positively charged protons.

Bhr also proposed that these orbits can only occur

at specifically permitted levels only according
to the energy levels of the electron and explain
successfully the lines in the hydrogen spectrum.

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BOHRS ATOMIC MODELS

Postulates
1.

Electron moves in circular orbits about the

nucleus. In moving in the orbit, the
electron does not radiate any energy and
does not absorb any energy.
H
Nucleus
(proton)

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1
1H

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BOHRS ATOMIC MODELS

Postulates

2) The energy of an electron in a hydrogen atom is

quantised, that is, the electron has only a fixed
set of allowed orbits, called stationary states.
[ orbit = stationary state = energy level = shell ]

H Nucleus
(proton)

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n=1
n=3
n=2

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BOHRS ATOMIC MODELS

Postulates
3.

At ordinary conditions the electron is at the

ground state (lowest level). If energy is supplied,
electron absorbed the energy and is promoted
from a lower energy level to a higher ones
(excited state). (Electron is excited)

4. Electron at its excited states is unstable. It will

fall back to lower energy level and released a
specific amount of energy in the form of light.
The energy of the photon equals to the energy
difference between the levels.
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e- unstable, fall back to lower energy level

e- absorb energy,
promoted to
excited state

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e-

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Points to Remember
Ground

state

the state in which the electrons have their lowest

energy
Excited

state

the state in which the electrons have shifted from a

lower energy level to a higher energy level
Energy

level

energy associated with a specific orbit or state

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THE BOHR ATOM

The energy of an electron in its level is given by:

1
E n R H 2
n
RH (Rydberg constant)

= 2.1810-18J.

n (principal quantum number) = 1, 2, 3 . (integer)

Note:
n identifies the orbit of electron
Energy is zero if electron is located infinitely far from
nucleus
Energy associated with forces of attraction are taken to
be negative (thus, negative sign)
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THE BOHR ATOM

Radiant

energy emitted when the electron

moves from higher-energy state to lower-energy
state is given by the difference in energy
between energy levels:
where

E = Ef - Ei
1
1
E R H 2 R H 2

nf
ni
Thus,
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1
1
E R H 2 2
nf
ni

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1
E i R H 2
ni

1
E f R H 2
nf

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THE BOHR ATOM

The

amount of energy released by the electron is called

a photon of energy.
A photon of energy is emitted in the form of radiation
with appropriate frequency and wavelength.
where;
h (Plancks constant) =6.63 10-34 J s
E = h = frequency
Where;

Thus,
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c (speed of light) = 3.00108 ms-1

hc
E

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Electron is excited from lower to higher

energy level. A specific amount of energy
is absorbed
E = h = E3-E1 (+ve)

n =1

n=2 n=3 n=4

Electron falls from higher to lower energy level .

A photon of energy is released.
E = h = E1-E3 (-ve)
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Energy level diagram for the hydrogen atom

Potential energy

n=
n=4
n=3
n=2
Energy
absorbed

Energy
released
n=1

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Example
Calculate:
i) The E of an e- has when it occupies
when it was at n=3 & n=4.
ii) The E of the photon emitted when
one mole e- of drops from the fourth E
level to third E level.
iii) The frequency & wavelength of this
photon.

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Solution :

1
E n R H 2
n
i) at n=3, E3 = -RH 1 = - 2.18 x 10-18 J
32
9
= -2.422 x 10-19 J
at n=4, E4 = -RH
42
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= - 2.18 x 10-18 J

16
= -1.363 x 10-19J
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ii
)

n=
4

E = Ef Ei = E3 E4
= -2.422x 10-19J- (-1.363 x 1019

n=3

J)
= -1.06 x 10-19J

-ve sign indicates that E is

released when e- falls.
E released by 1 mol of e-,
E = -1.06 x 10-19J x 6.023 x 1023 mol-1
= - 63 843.8 Jmol-1 = -63.8438 kJmol-1

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iii) Frequency, v = E = 1.06 x 10-19J

h
6.63 x 10-34 Js
= 1.599 x 1014 s-1
= 1.599 x 1014Hz
# -ve sign of E is ignored because
frequency is always +ve
Wavelength, = c
= 3.0 x 108 ms-1
v
1.599 x 1014 s-1
= 1.876 x 10-6 m
= 1876 nm
# 1 m = 109 nm

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Exercises:
1)

Calculate the energy of an electron in the second energy level

of a hydrogen atom. (-5.448 x 10-19 J)

2)

Calculate the energy of an electron in the energy level n = 6 of

a hydrogen atom.

3) Calculate the energy change (J), that occurs when an electron

falls from n = 5 to n = 3 energy level in a hydrogen atom.
(answer: 1.55 x 10-19J)
4)

Calculate the frequency and wavelength (nm) of the radiation

emitted in question 3.

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