Based on the article will the real atomic model please stand up?,” describe one major change that occurred in the development of the modern atomic model

General
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based on the article will the real atomic model please stand up?,” describe one major change that occurred in the development of the modern atomic model.

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Based on the article “Will the Real Atomic Model Please Stand Up?,” describe one major change that occurred in the development of the modern atomic model

Answer:
One major change in the development of the modern atomic model is the transition from the Rutherford model to the Bohr model. This shift marked a significant advancement in our understanding of atomic structure.

Major Change: Introduction of Quantized Electron Orbits in the Bohr Model

  1. Rutherford Model Limitations:

    • The Rutherford model, developed by Ernest Rutherford in 1911, proposed that atoms consist of a dense, positively charged nucleus surrounded by negatively charged electrons. While this model correctly introduced the nucleus, it could not explain why electrons do not spiral into the nucleus due to electromagnetic attraction.

  2. Bohr Model Innovations:

    • In 1913, Niels Bohr introduced his atomic model to overcome the limitations of the Rutherford model. Bohr’s model included the revolutionary concept that electrons travel in fixed orbits, or energy levels, around the nucleus.
    • Quantization of Electron Energy Levels:
      • Bohr proposed that electrons can only occupy specific energy levels and can move between these levels by absorbing or emitting energy in the form of photons. This quantized view of electron orbits introduced the idea that energy transitions are discrete rather than continuous.
      E_n = -\frac{13.6 \text{ eV}}{n^2}
      • This equation shows the energy of an electron in the nth orbit, where 13.6 \text{ eV} is the ionization energy of hydrogen in its ground state and n is the principal quantum number.
    • Stability of Electrons:
      • By quantizing electron energy levels, Bohr’s model accounted for the stability of atoms, explaining why electrons do not collapse into the nucleus as classical electromagnetics would predict.

  3. Impact on Atomic Theory:

    • The Bohr model provided a better explanation for the spectral lines of hydrogen and other elements, laying the groundwork for further development in atomic physics. This model integrated concepts from classical physics and early quantum theory, paving the way for the more comprehensive quantum mechanical models that followed.

Final Answer:

The most significant change in the development of the modern atomic model was the transition from Rutherford’s model to Bohr’s model, which introduced quantized orbits for electrons and explained atomic stability and discrete spectral lines. This advancement was crucial for the development of modern atomic theory and quantum mechanics.