CHAPTER-12 ATOMS

Alpha particle scattering experiment and Rutherford’s Nuclear model of atom: -

Particle scattering experiment done by Geiger and Marsden at the suggestion of Ernst Rutherford
is shown in figure.

The experimental set up consists of a source of -particle is incident on a thin gold foil of
thickness 2 x 10-7m.having fine cavity. The collimated beam of alpha-particle scattered in
different directions are observed with the help of a rotatable detector of ZnS screen and a
microscope.

Observations:
Rutherford’s Atom model:

The model has the following features:

1) Every atom consists of a tiny central core called the atomic nucleus in which the entire + ve
charge and almost entire mass of the atom are concentrated.
2) The nucleus is surrounded by electrons.
3) The electrostatic attraction of the nucleus provides centripetal force to the orbiting electrons.
4) Total +ve charge in the nucleus is equal to the total –ve charge of the orbiting electrons. Thus the
atom is electrically neutral.

Draw backs of Ruther ford atom model:

1. The Rutherford’s atom is not stable according to classical electromagnetic theory, because an
orbiting electron loss energy by emitting radiation and thus spiral to the nucleus.
2. It failed to explain stability of atom.
3. It failed to explain the spectrum of an atom.
Bohr Model of Hydrogen Atom

1)Bohr’s first postulate states that an electron in an atom revolves in certain stable orbits without the
emission of radiant energy.

2) Second postulate states that the electron revolves around the nucleus only in those orbits for which
the angular momentum is an integral multiple of h/2π where h is the Planck’s constant

L = mvr = 𝒏𝒉 /𝟐 ,where n = 1,2,3………. n is called principal quantum number

3) Third postulate states that when an electron make a transition from higher energy level to lower
energy level a photon is emitted having energy equal to the energy difference between the initial and
final states. The frequency of the emitted photon is then given by hν = 𝑬𝒊 - 𝑬f
Isotops : Atoms having same atomic number but different mass number