DELHI PUBLIC SCHOOL

CLASS-XI
CHEMISTRY
STRUCTURE OF ATOM

MODULE-4

TOPIC OVERVIEW:-

• BOHR’S MODEL OF ATOM

• QUANTISATION OF ENERGY
• EXPLANATION OF ATOMIC SPECTRUM OF HYDROGEN
• DEMERITS OF BOHR’S MODEL OF ATOM

BOHR’S MODEL OF ATOM:-

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In order to overcome the difficulties faced by Rutherford, Neil’s Bohr (1913)

prepared a modified model of the atomic structure known as Bohr’s model of atom
which is the first step towards the modern atomic theory. This model is based on
following postulates:

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 1. An atom is made up of three subatomic particles – electrons, protons &
neutrons. Electrons are negatively charged, protons are positively charged &
neutrons have no charge. Due to the presence of an equal number of electrons
& protons an atom is electrically neutral.

2. The protons & neutrons are located in a small nucleus at the center of the
atom. Due to the presence of protons, nucleus is positively charged.

3. The electrons revolve rapidly round the nucleus in fixed circular paths
called energy levels or shells or Orbits. The energy levels are represented in
two ways: either by numbers 1, 2, 3, 4 etc. or by the letters K, L, M, N etc. The
energy levels are counted from the center outwards.

4. Each energy level is associated with a fixed amount of energy, the shell
nearest to the nucleus having minimum energy & the shell farthest from the
nucleus having the maximum energy.

5. The energy of an electron remains constant so long as it stays in a given

orbit. Hence orbits are called stationary orbits. Electrons present in different
orbits have different energies.

6. . When an electron jumps from a lower energy level to a higher one, some
energy is absorbed while some energy is emitted when the electron jumps
from a higher energy level to a lower one, which equal to the difference in the
energies of the two levels.

7. The electrons revolve along those orbits in which the angular momentum of
the electron is an integral multiple of h / 2π

nh
i.e. mvr = where n = 1, 2, 3
2
The angular momentum of an electron is quantized.

This is called quantisation of angular momentum

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MERITS OF BOHR’S MODEL OF ATOM:-

1. Bohr’s model could explain the stability of an atom: The Bohr’s model said
that an electron revolving in a particular orbit cannot lose energy. The electron gain
or lose energy only during a jump either to a higher energy level or back to a lower
energy level, so the atom will not collapse due to complete loss of energy as
indicated by Rutherford’s Model of atom.

2. Bohr’s theory helped in calculating energy of an electron in a particular

orbit of hydrogen – On that basis of various postulates of Bohr’s model we have the
expression for energy of an electron in nth orbit of hydrogen.

2 2 me 4
En = −k 2
n2h2
m = mass of electron
e = charge of electron
h = Planck’s constants
k = coulomb’s law constant = 9.00 x 109 J. m/C2

− 2.178  10 −18 - 13.595 - 1312

En = 2
J/atm = 2
eV/atm = kJ/mole
n n n2

SIGNIFICANCE OF NEGATIVE ENERGY FOR ELECTRONS

When electron is infinity distance from the nucleus there is no interaction between
electron and the nucleus and the energy of the system is seemed to be zero. When the
electron comes closer to the nucleolus under its attractive influence, energy is
released. Energy decreases and become negative.

QUANTISATION OF ENERGY

According to Bohr an electron in Hydrogen atom can have only certain fixed value
of energy as given by the equation,

− 1312
En = KJ/mole ,where n = 1, 2, 3………………….
n2

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3. Bohr was able to derive expression for the radius of an orbit in hydrogen
atom.

n2h2
rn = = n 2  0.529  10 −10 m = n 2  0.529 A
4 km
2 4

Thus, as ‘n’ increases the radius of the orbit increases. The radius of 1st orbit called
the Bohr’s Orbit of H is equal to 0.529 A0. This is also known as Bohr radius.

For other single electron species such as He+, Li2+. The energy of the electron in nth
and radius of nth orbit are given by the expression.

− k 2 2 2 me 4 Z 2 − 2.178  10 −18 z 2
En = = J/atom
n2h2 n2

rn = n 2  0.529 A
Z

Where Z = Atomic Number of the element

Z = 2 for He+ and Z = 3 or Li2+
-2.178 x 10-18 J = RH is called Rydberg Constant.

• Note:The amount of energy absorbed or emitted when an electron jumps

from one energy level to another is given by the expression,

where ni and nf are the lower and higher energy levels respectively.
For H like species
where Z is the nuclear
charge.

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4. Bohr’s model could explain the atomic spectrum of hydrogen.

EXPLANATION OF ATOMIC SPECTRUM OF HYDROGEN :-

Video link: - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wiINTUZoAiw

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According to Bohr’s Model,

• Electron in an atom can have only certain definite level. When the electron is
present in lowest possible energy level, it is said be in ground state.

• When energy is supplied from some external source, the electron may absorb
energy and jump to some higher energy level. The electron is such a state is
said to be in excited state.

• The excited state is unstable and, therefore, the electron has tendency, to come
back to the ground state. When the electron jumps back to lower energy levels
it gives out energy in the form of quantum equal to the difference of energies
between the two energy levels.

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• If E1 & E2 are the energies of lower and higher energy levels respectively, then
frequency ( ) of the radiation emitted is given as follows:
E 2 − E1
• E 2 - E1 = h  ,  = , where, h = Planck's constant
h

• According to Bohr’s model in a hydrogen atom (or any other atom) E2 & E1
can have only certain definite values. Hence,  can have only certain fixed
values. Thus, Bohr’s model explains why there are certain discrete lines of
specific frequency in the spectrum of hydrogen.

• Bohr’s model also accounts for the existence of so many lines in hydrogen
spectrum.

In a sample of hydrogen, there are large numbers of atoms.The electrons in

different atoms absorb different amounts of energy and are excited to different
higher energy levels and when they come back to ground state they emit
radiations of definite frequency which appear as discrete lines in the spectra.
Since large number of different types of downward transition take place
simultaneously in a sample of hydrogen, therefore, large number of lines are
obtained in emission spectrum of hydrogen.

• The lines which arise due to the transitions from higher arise due to the
transitions from higher energy levels to first energy level are ground as Lyman
Series. The lines obtained as a result of transitions of electrons from higher
energy levels to second, third, fourth and fifth energy levels give rise to
Balmer, Paschen, Brackett and Pfund series respectively.

Lyman Series from n = 2, 3, 4, 5 ……………… to n=1

Balmer Series from n = 3, 4, 5, 6 ……………… to n=2
Paschen Series from n = 4, 5, 6, 7 ……………… to n=3
Brackett Series from n = 5, 6, 7, 8 ……………… to n=4
Pfund Series from n = 6, 7, 8, 9 ……………… to n=5

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Note:
(i) For Lyman series,
shortest wavelength transition is from n = infinity to n = 1
longest wavelength transition is from n=2 to n=1,
Limiting line is from n = infinity to n = 1.

No of possible emission line when an electron jumps from higher level n2 to

lower level n1 = (n2-n1) (n2-n1+1) /2.

DEMERITS OF BOHR’S MODEL OF ATOM:-

• Bohr’s model could not explain the spectra of atoms containing more than one
electron. His model could not explain even hydrogen spectrum obtained using
high resolution spectroscopes. Each spectral line, on high resolution was
found to consist of two closely spaced lines.

• This model could not explain the Zeeman Effect (the splitting of each spectral
line into closely spaced lines into presence of a magnetic field) and stark effect
(the splitting of spectral line under the effect of applied electric field).

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 • Bohr had treated electron only as a particle. But de Broglie suggested that
electron, like light, has a dual character.

Solved Numericals:-
Q. Energy of electrons in an atom is quantized. Justify.
Ans: According to Bohr an electron in Hydrogen atom can have only certain fixed
− 1312
En =
value of energy as given by the equation, n 2 where n = 1, 2,
3………………….

Q. How does Bohr’s model account for the existence of so many lines in
hydrogen spectrum?
Ans: Since in a sample of hydrogen there are large numbers of atoms, the electrons
in different absorb different amounts of energy and are excited to different
higher energy levels. Now, excited states the electron may return to ground
state in one or more jumps resulting in number of lines in the spectrum.

Q. How much energy is required to ionise an H atom if the electron occupies n = 5

orbit?

Answer:

Q.2 Calculate the energy required for the process

The ionization energy for the H atom in the ground state is 2.18 ×10–18 J atom–1
Answer:
Energy associated with hydrogen-like species is given by,

For the given process,

An electron is removed from n = 1 to n = ∞.

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Q3. How many emission lines are obtained when an electron in a H atom jumps
from n=6 to the ground state?
Ans:No of emission lines=(n2-n1) (n2-n1+1) /2.
Therefore 5 x6/2 =15 lines.

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Assignments
Q.1 What transition in the hydrogen spectrum would have the same wavelength as
the Balmer transition n = 4 to n = 2 of He+ spectrum?

Q.2 Arrange the following type of radiations in increasing order of frequency: (a)
radiation from microwave oven (b) UV rays (c) radiation from FM radio (d) cosmic
rays from outer space and (e) X-rays.

Q.3.Which transition in hydrogen spectrum corresponds to

(i)first line in Balmer series
(ii) Second line in pfund series
(iii) Limiting line of Brackett series
(iV) Shortest wavelength transition in Paschen series
(v) Longest wavelength transition in Balmer series

Q.4 Solve NCERT example No. 2.10, 2.11.

Q.5 Solve NCERT exercise no. 2.16, 2.17, 2.18, 2.19, 2.46.

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MCQ

Q.1 The energy of an electron in first Bohr orbit of H-atom is –13.6 eV. The possible
energy value of electron in the excited state of Li2+ is
(a) – 122.4 eV (b) 30.6 eV
(c)– 30.6 eV (d)13.6 eV

Q.2 The electronic transitions from n = 2 to n = 1 will produce shortest wavelength

in
(a)Li+2 (b)He+
(c)H (d) H+

Q.3 Bohr’s Model explains

(a) The spectrum of Hydrogen atom only
(b) The spectrum of any atom having one electron only
(c) The spectrum of Hydrogen molecule
(d) The solar spectrum

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