Understanding the Fixed Energy of Electrons in Bohr's Orbit

In summary: As you mentioned, all textbooks mention Bohr's model as a "milestone" because of its historical significance, not because of its accuracy. It was a first step along the way to a better understanding of atomic structure. In summary, Bohr's atomic model was a significant advancement from Rutherford's model, as it introduced the concept of fixed energy orbits and explained the discrete energy levels of electrons in hydrogen and hydrogen-like atoms. However, it did not fully explain the stability of the atom and was later improved upon by quantum mechanics.
  • #1
harman90
22
0
After Doing lot of research, I still am Unable To Understand,
How a Electron in Fixed orbit (with fixed energy) is not radiating energy as it is continuously accelerating.

According to my Book, Rutherford only missed "Fixed orbit" word in his theory?

Moreover, Speed of electron is described as Velocity, which is constant. how a velocity of a body moving in circular body can be constant?
 
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  • #2
harman90 said:
After Doing lot of research, I still am Unable To Understand,
How a Electron in Fixed orbit (with fixed energy) is not radiating energy as it is continuously accelerating.

According to my Book, Rutherford only missed "Fixed orbit" word in his theory?

Moreover, Speed of electron is described as Velocity, which is constant. how a velocity of a body moving in circular body can be constant?

Welcome to the PF.

Your question is addressed in the 3rd item in the Physics FAQ that is pinned at the top of this General Physics forum:

https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/why-dont-electrons-crash-into-the-nucleus-in-atoms.511179/

Read through that to see if it helps you to better understand the issues. :smile:
 
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  • #3
Thank you Very much, well it explains "WHY DON’T ELECTRONS CRASH INTO THE NUCLEUS" which obviously wasnt clear till Bohr,

But my question is HOW bohr atomic theory overcome the Limitation of Rutherfordwhen He actually said the same thing (what Rutherford did) with 3 extra words (fixed energy orbit)
 
  • #4
Bohr's model did not explain why the electron does not fall into the nucleus. Bohr just assumed that some orbits would be stable, without explanation. Quantum mechanics later gave a reasonable answer.
 
  • #5
Thank you for the reply. For that to be True, I guess It should have been one of the Biggest Limitation of Bohr Model, Instead All textbooks Mention "bohr model successfully explained the stability of the atom" (which i fail to understand how)
 
  • #6
It does not "explain" the stability. It gives some good argument why the energy levels could be as they are - in hydrogen and hydrogen-like atoms.
 
  • #7
Bohr "explained" the discrete energy levels by assuming that the orbital angular momentum is an integer multiple of ##\hbar##: ##L = n\hbar##. However, he didn't really explain why this might be true, and it isn't really true anyway: the magnitude of the orbital angular momentum is actually ##L = \sqrt{l(l+1)} \hbar##, where l is an integer that can have values of 0,...,n. That is, for a given value of n (energy level), there are usually multiple possible values of l. This can be derived by solving Schrödinger's equation which came along later.

You should not attach any more importance to Bohr's model than that it was the first crude step towards the modern quantum theory of the atom, which took shape about ten years later.
 
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1. What is the fixed energy of Bohr's orbit?

The fixed energy of Bohr's orbit refers to the specific energy levels that an electron can occupy in an atom according to Niels Bohr's atomic model. These energy levels are determined by the distance of the electron from the nucleus, with closer orbits having lower energy and farther orbits having higher energy.

2. How did Niels Bohr determine the fixed energy of Bohr's orbit?

Niels Bohr used mathematical equations and experimental data to propose his atomic model, which included the concept of fixed energy levels for electrons. He based his calculations on the Rydberg formula, which relates the energy levels of electrons to the frequency of light emitted or absorbed by an atom.

3. Why is the fixed energy of Bohr's orbit important?

The fixed energy of Bohr's orbit is important because it helps us understand the behavior of electrons in an atom. It explains why electrons do not spiral into the nucleus, and why atoms emit and absorb specific wavelengths of light. It also serves as the foundation for more complex atomic models.

4. Can the fixed energy of Bohr's orbit be observed?

No, the fixed energy of Bohr's orbit cannot be directly observed. It is a theoretical concept that helps us understand the behavior of electrons in an atom. However, we can indirectly observe the effects of these fixed energy levels through experiments and measurements.

5. How does the fixed energy of Bohr's orbit relate to quantum mechanics?

The fixed energy of Bohr's orbit was one of the first concepts to incorporate quantum mechanics into our understanding of the atom. It showed that electrons have discrete energy levels and can only transition between them by absorbing or emitting specific amounts of energy. This idea laid the foundation for the development of more advanced quantum mechanical models of the atom.

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