Bohr the Danish Chemist
Born: 10/7/1885 Died: 11/18/1962
Niel Bohr, a physicist, discovered the way the electrons traveled, the theory that the # of electrons on the outermost orbit will determine it's properties, & the energy levels of the electrons. As Rutherford discovered the planetary structure of the atom, Bohr started to realize the defects in Rutherford's theory. Rutherford believed that electrons traveled in a circular motion at any distance, causing the electrons to accelerate & lose their energy forcing it to crash into the nucleus, Bohr realized that if atoms did travel like that, they would constantly be unstable. Bohr then theorized a concept in which the electrons are organized into shells by energy levels & orbiting the nucleus in a discrete(separated) way, ergo making that atom stable.Bohr discovered this by experimenting with gas & electric currents.When an electric current is placed in a gas, it produces light. Since atoms emit certain types of light, Bohr was able to figure out the patterns of the light's wavelength. This allowed to create the concept that light released was due to transitions between energy levels in the atoms, and the wavelength of light corresponded to the energy difference between the two states involved in the transition. Bohr's discovery allowed us to further understand the atom's behavior & reactions.Plus, it's also helped us understand Quantum Physics, therefore allowing technology to be invented.
Bohr's Atomic Theory:
- While circling the nucleus of the atom, electrons could only occupy certain discrete orbits, that is to say energy levels.
- Electrons give or take energy only when they change their energy levels. If they move up, they take energy (say from light), and if they move down, they release energy. This energy itself is released in discrete packets called photons.
-An electron which is not in its original energy level always has to fall back to its original, stable level.
