CHAPTER 7.

2 : ATOMIC PHYSICS
• BOHR’S MODEL OF HYDROGEN ATOM

Subtopics:
• Bohr’s Atomic Model
• Energy Level of Hydrogen Atom
• Line Spectrum
 Bohr’s Atomic Model
• Atoms are the smallest unit of a given
element.
•This is called the ‘plum pudding’ model of the atom.
Bohr’s Model of the Hydrogen Atom (1913)

Bohr’s model of hydrogen is basically a

solar system model, with electron orbiting
the nucleus however, only certain orbits
are allowed.
Assumptions of the Bohr Model
1. Electron in a hydrogen atom moves in a circular
orbit about the nucleus.
2. Only certain circular orbits are allowed. In these
orbits the angular momentum of the electron is
equal to
h
L  n( )
2
where
n = 1, 2, 3, …
L – angular momentum
h – Planck’s constant
3. Electrons do not give off electromagnetic radiation
when they are in an allowed orbit. Thus the orbits
are stable.
4. Radiation is given off or absorbed only when an
electron jump from one allowed orbit to another.
If the energy difference between two allowed orbits
is ∆E, the frequency, f of the photon that emitted or
absorbed is given by the relation

∆E = hf
where
∆E – energy difference
(∆E = Ehigh – Elow )
h – Planck’s constant
(6.63×10–34 Js)
f – frequency of photon
 Energy Level of Hydrogen atom

Bohr Radius of Hydrogen Atom

In the Bohr model of hydrogen, electron move
in a circular orbit of radius r with a speed v.
For the circular orbit, the centripetal force is
provided by the Coulomb force of attraction
between the electron and the nucleus.
FE  Fc
2 2
ke me v
2

r r
2
ke
 mev 2
 (1)
r
For an electron moves with a speed v in a circular
path of radius r, its angular momentum is
L  me v r  (2)

For the nth allowed orbit, the angular momentum of

the electron is given by
nh
Ln   (3)
2

Equating (2) and (3) :

nh
me vr 
2
  4 
nh
v
2me r

Substituting (4) into (1) :

2
ke nh 2
 me ( )
r 2mer

Rearranging and solving for r , we get :

n2h2
r  rn  n  1,2 ,3 ,
4 m e k e
2 2
Radius of the smallest bohr’s orbit, ao is corresponding
to n = 1 :
h2
ao  r 1 
4 me k e
2 2

( 6 .626  10 34 ) 2

4 (9 .109  10 )(8 .988  10 )(1 .602  10 )
2  31 9 19 2

a o  5 . 29  10  1 1 m

a o  0 . 53 A

ao is called as the Bohr radius.

In general, the radii of the allowed orbits :

rn  n 2 ao

The first three Bohr orbits of Hydrogen atom

n 1
 r 1  (1) 2 ao  5.3110 11 m
n2
 r 2  (2) 2 ao  2.12 10 10 m
n3
 r 3  (3) 2 ao  4.78 1010 m
Energy level in Bohr model of hydrogen
Total mechanical energy of an electron in a bohr orbit
is the sum of its kinetic and potential energies.

PE of electron

1
KE of electron K  me v 2
2

Total energy E U  K
For circular motion :
Coulomb force = Centripetal force
ke2 me v 2
2

r r
2
ke
 me v 
2

r
 2
1 ke
 K  me v 
2

2 2r

Total energy of the electron is

E  K U
2 2
ke ke
  ( )
2r r
2
ke
E
2r
Substituting the radius of a Bohr orbit, we obtain the
corresponding energy for the nth orbit :
ke2
E 2
2(n ao)
2
ke 1
En   ( 2) n  1,2,3,
2ao n
19 2
8.988 10 (1.602 10 ) 1
9
 11 19
( 2)
2(5.3 10 )(1.609 10 ) n
13.6
or En   2 eV n  1,2,3,
n
Energy Levels
The “allowed” orbits of the electron in a hydrogen
atom are commonly expressed in terms of their
energy.
13.6
En   2 eV
n
 The lowest energy level (n=1) is the ground state
where E1 = –13.6 eV.
 The energy levels above the ground state (n>1)
are called excited states.
 For example, n=2 is the first excited state, and so
on.
• When n=∞, E∞= 0, the electron is completely removed
from the atom.
Energy-level Diagram for the Bohr model of Hydrogen
Ground state energy
The lowest energy corresponds to n = 1 and its energy is
E1 = –13.6 eV.

Excitation energy
The energy that must be supplied to the atom to raise the
electron from the ground state to the excited state.

Ionization energy
The energy that must be supplied to liberate the electron
from the atom when the electron is in the ground state.
For hydrogen, the ionization energy is 13.6 eV.

The energy from n = 1 to n =  are negative indicate a

bound state.
Example
The ground state energy of hydrogen atom is – 13.6 eV.
(a) What does the negative sign mean ?
(b) Calculate the second excited energy level of
hydrogen atom.
Solution
(a) Negative sign indicate a bound state. Energy
must be added to remove the electron.
(b) 2nd excited state  n = 3
13.6
From: En   2 eV
n
13.6
E3   2  1.51eV
3
Example
An electron in a Bohr orbit has a total energy of
8.704×10–20 J. Find the radius of this orbit.

Solution
13.6
From: En   2 eV
n
20
8.704 10 13.6
19
eV   2 eV  n  5
1.6 10 n
Radius of the orbit is corresponding to n = 5

r
From: n  n 2
ao

9
r5  (5) (0.53 A)  1.325 10 m
2
 Line Spectrum
Line spectrum is a series of bright lines of well
defined wavelengths.

Excited atoms in a low pressure gas give off light of

specific wavelengths corresponding to different
colors.
Every element has it own characteristic pattern of
electron energy levels & therefore emits light of
specific wavelengths when excited.

Carbon team

Oxygen team
 Since different atoms exhibits completely different line
spectra, this phenomenon is used as a practical and
sensitive technique for identifying the elements present
in unknown samples.

Emission of line spectrum

When electron makes a
Eni downward transition to a
lower orbit (with less
E  hf
energy), a photon (light) is
E emitted.
The photon’s energy is
equal to the energy
Enf difference between the two
levels.
Electron make transitions only between discrete
energy levels, thus atom emits photons of discrete
energies (or light of discrete wavelength ).
This results in emission of line spectrum.

Wavelength of Emitted line

E  Ehigh  Elow
E  hf
hc
E 

1E
 
 hc
 The line spectrum of hydrogen
Each series of spectral lines in hydrogen is the result
of electrons jumping from an excited state to a
particular lower level.

Common Spectral Series of Hydrogen

Series name End state, nf
Lyman 1
Balmer 2
Paschen 3
Brackett 4
Pfund 5
The Lyman Series involves transitions that end with the
ground state (n=1).
The Balmer Series involves transitions end with the
first excited state (n=2).
The Paschen Series involves transitions that end with
the second excited state (n=3).
The Brackett Series involves transitions that end with
the third excited state (n=4).
The Pfund Series involves transitions that end with the
fourth excited state (n=5).
 Pfund Series
0 eV n=∞
–0.54 eV n=5
–0.85 eV Brackett Series
n=4
–1.51 eV n=3
Paschen Series

–3.40 eV n=2
Balmer Series

–13.6 eV n=1
Lyman Series
•The Lyman Series is in the ultraviolet.
• The Balmer Series is in the visible light and
ultraviolet.
•The Paschen Series, the Brackett Series, the Pfund
Series are in the infra-red .
• The largest energy jump in each series occurs
when an electron falls from n = ∞ to the final level.

E
1
From:   E max ;  min
 hc

• Thus, each series of spectral lines has a well

defined shortest wavelength.
 Absorbing a Photon
Just as an electron can emit a photon when it jumps to
a lower level, it also can absorb a photon and jump to a
higher level.
This process occurs, only if the photon has an energy
that precisely matches the energy difference between
the lower level of the electron and the higher level to
which it raised.
Enf

E E  hf

Eni
 Example

The electron in the hydrogen atom makes a

transition from E2= –3.40 eV energy state to the
ground state with E1= –13.6 eV.
Find
(i) the energy (in Joule) and
(ii) the wavelength
of the emitted photon.
Solution
(i) the energy of the photon emitted is equal to
the energy different between 2 transition
states.

Ephoton  E
 Ehigh  Elow
 3.4eV  (13.6eV )
 10.2eV  1 . 6  1 0  1 9
Ephoton  1.632 1018 J
(ii) Wavelength of emitted photon

hc
From: E  hf 

hc
 
E
6.63 1034 (3 108 )

1.632 1018

 1.22 107 m
Example
The lowest energy state for hydrogen atom is
–13.6 eV. Find the frequency of the photon
required to ionize the atom.
Solution
An atom is ionized when atom is exited from E1 to E∞
Energy of the photon required,
E = E∞ – E1
hf  0  (13.6eV)

13.6(1.6 1019 )
f  34
 3.282  1015
Hz
6.63 10
Example
A hydrogen atom emits radiation of wavelengths 121.5
nm and 102.4 nm when the electrons make transitions
from the 1st excited state and 2nd excited state
respectively to the ground state
Find:
(a) the energy of the photons for each of the
wavelengths above
(b) the wavelength emitted by the photon when the
electron makes a transition from the 2nd excited state
to the 1st excited state.
( c = 3.0×108 m s–1; h = 6.63×10–34 J s)
Solution
1  121.5 10 9 m
2  102.4 10 9 m
hc
(a )(i ) E1 
1
34
6.63  10  3  10 8

121.5  10 9
 1.64 10 18 J

ii  E2  hc
2
 1.94  10 18 J
 E3
E1 E2

(b) ΔE3 = ΔE2 – ΔE1

= (1.94 – 1.64) x 10-18
= 0.3 x 10-18 J

hc
E3 

hc
 
E3
 6.63  10  7 m
 663 nm
Example
The electron of an excited hydrogen atom make a transition
from the ground state to the 4th excited state. Find the energy
absorbs by the atom.
Solution
E1 13.6
En   2   2 eV
n n
13.6
Ground state, n=1: E1   2 eV
1
 13.6eV
13.6
4th excited state, n=5: E2   2 eV
5
 0.54eV
Energy absorb by the atom equals to the
difference between the two energy levels.

Eabsorb  E
E  E5  E1
 0.54  (13.6)
 13.06eV
Example (Try !!!)
The Balmer series for the hydrogen atom
corresponds to electronic transitions that terminate
at energy level n=2 as shown in the diagram below.

n E(eV)

∞ 0.00

6 – 0.38
5 – 0.54
4 – 0.85

3 – 1.51

– 3.40
2

1 –13.6
Find
(a) the longest-wavelength, and
(b) the shortest-wavelength photon emitted in this
series.