Part 12, Lecture 7

Balmer, Rydberg
&

Bohr Models
of the Atom

19-2-2014
 Photon Emission
• Relaxation from one energy
level to another by emitting a
photon.
Emission

With
E = hc/

• If  = 440 nm,
= 4.5 x 10-19 J
 Emission spectrum of H
“Continuous” spectrum “Quantized” spectrum

E
E

Any E Only
is certain E
possible are
allowed
 Determination the energy levels

We can use the emission spectrum to determine the

energy levels for the hydrogen atom.
 Balmer Model
• Joseph Balmer (1885) first noticed that the
frequency of visible lines in the H atom spectrum
could be reproduced by:

1 1
 2 2 n = 3, 4, 5, …..
2 n

The above equation predicts that as n increases,

the frequencies become more closely spaced.

 Rydberg Model
• Johann Rydberg extends the Balmer model by
finding more emission lines outside the visible
region of the spectrum:

 1 n1 = 1, 2, 3, …..
1 
  Ry  2  2  n2 = n1+1, n1+2, …
n1 n 2 
Ry = 3.29 x 1015 1/s

 This suggests that the energy levels of the H atom

are proportional to 1/n2
 The Bohr Model
• Niels Bohr uses the emission spectrum of
hydrogen to develop a quantum model for H.

Central idea: electron circles the “nucleus” in

only certain allowed circular orbitals.

• Bohr postulates that there is Coulombic attraction between e- and nucleus.

• However, classical physics is unable to explain why an H atom doesn’t
simply collapse.
 Empirical formulas
of The Bohr Model
• Bohr model for the H atom is capable of reproducing the energy
levels given by the empirical formulas of Balmer and Rydberg.

18
Z 2 
E  2.178x10 J 2 
n 
Z = atomic number (1 for H) n = integer (1, 2, ….)

•
the constant = Ry x h = -2.178 x 10-18 J (!)
According to The Bohr Model

18
Z 2 
E  2.178x10 J 2 
n 

• Energy levels get closer together

as n increases

• at n = infinity, E=0
 Prediction ∆E
for any two energy levels
The Bohr Model
• We can use the Bohr model to predict what E is
for any two energy levels
E  E final  E initial
 1   1 
18 18
E  2.178x10 Jn 2   (2.178x10 J)n 2 
 final   initial 

 1 1 
E  2.178x1018 J
n 2  n 2  
 final initial 
 Examples
Q1:- At what wavelength will emission from
n = 4 to n = 1 for the H atom be observed?
 1 1 
E  2.178x1018 J
n 2  n 2  
 final initial 

1 4
18  1 
E  2.178x10 J1  2.04 x1018 J
  16 

hc
18
E  2.04 x10 J   9.74 x108 m  97.4nm
 
 • Q2: What is the longest wavelength of light that
will result in removal of the e- from H?

 1 1 
E  2.178x1018 J
n 2  n 2  
 final initial 

 1

E  2.178x1018 J 0 1  2.178x1018 J



hc
 E  2.178x10
18
J   9.13x108 m  91.3nm

 Extension to Higher Z
• The Bohr model can be extended to any single
electron system….must keep track of Z
(atomic number).

18
Z 2 
Z = atomic number
E  2.178x10 J 2 
n  n = integer (1, 2, ….)

• Examples: He+ (Z = 2), Li+2 (Z = 3), etc.

 Example: Extension to Higher Z

• Q3: At what wavelength will emission from

n = 4 to n = 1 for the He+ atom be observed?
 1 1 
E  2.178x1018 J Z 2 
n 2  n 2  
 final initial 
2 1 4
 1 
E  2.178x10 18
J 4 1  8.16x1018 J
 16 

hc
E  8.16x1018
J   2.43x108 m  24.3nm

  H   He 
 The Bohr model’s successes are
limited by:-
:

1• Doesn’t work for multi-electron atoms.

2• The “electron racetrack” picture is incorrect.

• That said, the Bohr model was a pioneering, “quantized” picture of atomic
energy levels.‫ا لنموذج ا لرائد ل نظرية ا لكم‬
END LECTURE
• THANK YOU