Niels Bohr changed the way we look at atoms in the early 1900s. He created the Bohr model, which introduced several important ideas:
Fixed Energy Levels: Bohr said that electrons circle around the nucleus (the center of the atom) at set distances. Each distance has a specific energy level, and electrons can only be in those certain energy states. This idea was new and exciting for scientists at the time.
Electron Movements: When an electron jumps from one energy level to another, it either takes in energy or releases energy in specific amounts. This helped explain why we see different colors of light from atoms. The energy change can be described with the formula: Here, means energy, is Planck's constant (which is a very small number), and stands for frequency (how often something happens).
Predicting Hydrogen Lines: The Bohr model could predict the colors (or wavelengths) of light that hydrogen atoms would emit. The different colors matched up with specific energy changes when electrons jumped between levels.
Building Block for Quantum Mechanics: Bohr’s ideas were really important for the next steps in science, especially for quantum mechanics. He inspired other famous scientists like Schrödinger and Heisenberg. His work helped us better understand how electrons move and behave inside atoms.
Niels Bohr changed the way we look at atoms in the early 1900s. He created the Bohr model, which introduced several important ideas:
Fixed Energy Levels: Bohr said that electrons circle around the nucleus (the center of the atom) at set distances. Each distance has a specific energy level, and electrons can only be in those certain energy states. This idea was new and exciting for scientists at the time.
Electron Movements: When an electron jumps from one energy level to another, it either takes in energy or releases energy in specific amounts. This helped explain why we see different colors of light from atoms. The energy change can be described with the formula: Here, means energy, is Planck's constant (which is a very small number), and stands for frequency (how often something happens).
Predicting Hydrogen Lines: The Bohr model could predict the colors (or wavelengths) of light that hydrogen atoms would emit. The different colors matched up with specific energy changes when electrons jumped between levels.
Building Block for Quantum Mechanics: Bohr’s ideas were really important for the next steps in science, especially for quantum mechanics. He inspired other famous scientists like Schrödinger and Heisenberg. His work helped us better understand how electrons move and behave inside atoms.