Bohr’s Atom Model

Bohr’s Postulates
1. Permissible orbits for which the angular
momentum of the electron is an integral multiple
of  h 
 
 2 
Where h is Planck’s constant = 6.64 x 10-34 J-sec

2. An atom radiates energy only when an electron

jumps from a stationary orbit of higher energy( Ei)
to one of the lower energy (Ef). Emitted photon
frequency is Ei  E f

h 1
 The Bohr Formulae
Since mass (M) of the nucleus is much greater
than the mass (m) of electron, therefore nucleus
may be consider as stationary. Thus,
The electrostatic force of attraction between the
nucleus and the electron
1 Ze  e 
= (1)
4o r 2

and 2
mv
the centripetal force on the electron = (2)
r
2
The system will be stable if
mv 2
1 Ze e 
= (3)
r 4o r 2

According to Bohr’s first postulates

nh
mvr  (4)
2
2 2
nh
v  2 2 2
2
or 4 r m (5)

3
 2
Substituting the value of v in Eq. (3),
we get
n h o
2 2
r (6)
Ze m
2

Therefore, the radius of nth permissible orbit of

hydrogen atom ( rn ) is

n 2 h 2 o (7)
rn 
e m2

The radius of the first orbit for hydrogen atom, also

known as Bohr radius is r1 = 0.53 Å
4
 Calculation of total energy
The total energy of the electron on any orbit is
the sum of its kinetic and potential energies.

Potential energy of the electron is

 Ze
r 2 2
Ze
 4o r 2 dr  4o r (6)

5
 2
1 Ze
K. E. of the electron = mv 
2

2 8o r
Therefore total energy of the electron in
the nth orbit = En
 Ze 2
=
8o r
Substituting the value of r,
 mZ 2e 4
En =
8 o n h
2 2 2

6
 Bohr’s interpretation of the
Hydrogen spectrum
The frequency of the emitted radiation is =

En2  En1 me  1 1 
4
  2 3  2  2
h 8 o h  n1 n2 
In wave number form

1  En2  En1 me4  1 1 

     2 3  2  2
 c ch 8 o ch  n1 n2 
7
 1 1
or   R 2  2 
 n1 n2 
4
me
where R 2 3 = 1.091x 107
8 o ch

known as Rydberg constant.

8
Spectral series of Hydrogen atom
1. Lyman series
 1 1 
  R 2  2  ; n = 2, 3 ,4 ,5 ……
1 n 

It lies in the ultraviolet region.

2. Balmer series
 1 1 
  R 2  2  ; n = 3, 4 , 5, 6 …….
 2 n 
It lies in the visible region. 9
 The first line of the Balmer series (n=3)
is called the H and second (n=4) the H
 
Line and so on.

3. Paschen series
 1 1 
  R 2  2  ; n = 4, 5 ,6 …..
 3 n 
4. Brackett series
 1 1 
  R 2  2  ; n = 5, 6, 7…..
 4 n 
10
5. Pfund series
 1 1 
  R 2  2 
 5 n  ; n = 6, 7, 8 …..

By putting n = ∞ in each one of the series,

we get the wavenumber of the series limit.

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 Effect of nuclear motion on atomic
spectra
Since the nucleus has finite mass so we
can not assume nucleus as stationary as
in Bohr’s model.

M C.M. m

r1 r2

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Using centre of mass theory
Mr1 = mr2
The angular momentum of the atom about the
c. m. Is
L  Mr   mr 
1
2
2
2

 r 2
Mm
Where r = r1 + r2 and 
M m
is known as reduced mass of the electron.
13
Therefore all the equations are identical
except that mass m has been replaced by
reduced mass 

Rydberg constant with reduced mass

 
 1 
Rz  R  
1 m 
 
Where  M 

me4
R 
8 o ch 3
14
Evidences in favour of Bohr’s
Theory
1.The ratio of me to the mp
   
   
 R  
1
 R  
R He and 1
 m  R He
 m 
1  1 
 M He 
 M He 

Since
M He  4M H
 
 R R 
m
Therefore   He H 
MH  R He 
 RH  
 4  15
From spectroscopic data

RHe = 10972240 m-1 and RH = 10967770 m-1

Therefore,
m 1

M H 1837

This value is in excellent agreement with the

value obtained by other methods.

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2. The discovery of deuterium
Consideration of reduced mass played an
important role in the discovery of deuterium.
since MD = 2 MH,
therefore the spectral lines of deuterium
are all shifted slightly to wavelengths shorter than the
corresponding ones of ordinary hydrogen. Thus the
Hα line of deuterium, which arises from a transition
from the n = 3 to the n =2 energy level energy level,
occurs at a wavelength of 656.1 nm, whereas the Hα
line of hydrogen occurs at 656.3 nm. This difference
in wavelength was responsible for the identification
of deuterium in 1932 by H. Urey.
17
Others atomic structure models are
1. Sommerfeld’s relativistic atom model.
Bohr’s model could not explain the fine structures
of spectral lines. It is explained by Sommerfelds.

2. The vector atom model.

Drawbacks of Sommerfeld’s and Bohr’s model
was removed by the Vector atom model.

18
Magnetic moment and angular
momentum
Orbital motion of electron in an elliptical orbit of
area A with a period of T is equivalent to a
current i = e/T in a loop of area A. Applying
Ampere’s theorem, this current gives rise to a
magnetic dipole moment μl and given by

μl = iA = eA/T (1)

Since the areal velocity in a central orbit is

1 2 d
r
2 dt
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Therefore , the area
1 2  d 
T
A   r  dt
0
2  dt 

Angular momentum of the electron

d
L  mr 2  const
dt

or T
 L  LT
A   dt  (2)
0
2m  2m

from Eq. (1) and (2),

e
l  L
2m 20
Since angular momentum is quantized,
therefore
 e  lh 
l    
 2m  2 
eh
Where l is orbital quantum number. 4m is the
smallest unit of magnetic dipole moment and is
known as Bohr electron Magneton (  B ) .

The magnetic dipole moment (  l ) and

angular momentum (l) is directed to opposite to
 
each other. The ratio  L  is known as
l

 

gyromagnetic ratio ( 8.8 x 109 C/Kg). 21

 Larmor precession
When an atom is placed in an external
electric field, the electron orbit precess about the
field direction as axis. This precession is called the
“Larmor Precession” and the frequency of this
precession is called the “Larmor frequency
(ω = eB/2m)”.

22
Space Quantization

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