ARRANGMENT OF

ELECTRONS IN THE ATOM

BOHRS THEORY

Bohr's Theory explains why each element has a unique emission line spectrum

The main points are as follows:

 Electrons in ground state have fixed energy values

i.e. the energy of electrons in a particular orbit or energy level is quantised

If energy is provided to an atom in ground state, a

specific amount of this energy is absorbed and the electrons jump to higher energy levels i.e. an excited state
This excited state is unstable and the electrons fall

back to lower energy levels

 As electrons fall back, excess energy is released

in the form of light of a definite amount of energy. The frequency of the light depends on the difference in energy levels and is given by the equation E2 - E1 = hf (h is Plancks constant, f is the frequency)
A line spectrum is observed

The fact that a line spectrum is observed - and not a continuous one - shows that only specific energy transitions are possible within an atom. This is strong evidence for the existence of energy levels
The photon of light emitted is of a particular

frequency and need not be in the visible range.

If electrons jump back to the first energy level it emits

ultraviolet light (Lyman series) which is invisible.

If electrons jump back to the third energy level it

emits infrared light (Paschen series) which is also invisible.

 However if an electron jumps back to the second

energy level it emits visible light (Balmers series) which is what we see on the line spectrum. Jumps from different energy levels to the second energy level releases light of different colours.
Each element has a unique

emission line spectrum because each element has a different number of electrons and each element has its own arrangement of these electrons in different energy levels.

Limitations of Bohrs Theory are:

Bohr's Theory only worked to explain the emission

spectrum of hydrogen. When his theory was applied to atoms with more than on electron, it failed to account for many of the lines in the emission spectra of these atoms
It was found that electrons do not travel in a fixed

path, a fixed distance from the nucleus (Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle)

FLAME TEST

(EVIDENCE FOR BOHRS THEORY)

1. 2.

Place a sample of the salt on a damp wooden splint Place it in the bunsen burner and note the colour the salt burns The colours imparted by different salts are as follows

3.

Element Lithium Sodium

Colour Crimson Yellow

Potassium
Barium Copper

Lilac
Green Blue-Green

Strontium

Red

ATOMIC ABSORPTION SPECTROMETRY

In Atomic Absorption Spectrometry, white light is passed through a gaseous sample of the element, and will have specific frequencies removed from it. Whereas emission spectrum is coloured lines on a black background, absorption spectrum is black lines on a coloured background.

Emission Spectra Identifying Elements Sodium street lamps Giving particular colour to fireworks

Atomic Absorption Spectra Identifying Elements Concentration of Elements Concentration of heavy metals in water

ENERGY LEVELS

Fixed energy an electron in an atom may have Electrons occupy certain positions with very definite radius from the nucleus (energy levels, orbits, shells). Electrons occupying these energy levels can only possess very specific energy amounts. 2n (n is energy level number) determines how many electrons level can hold

ENERGY SUB-LEVELS

On closer inspection, the bands of light in an emission spectrum can be seen to consist of two or more lines close together. Suggests that a main energy level may be made up of parts of slightly different energy known as energy sub levels which are denoted by the letters s(hold 2 electrons), p(hold 6 electrons) and d(holds 10 electrons)

WAVE NATURE OF ELECTRONS

Although electrons were identified as particles it can also be seen to possess properties associated with waves e.g. shown to have a wavelength. This means they do not travel in a fixed bath at a definite distance from the nucleus

Heisenbergs Uncertainty Principle states that it is impossible to measure at the same time both the velocity and the position of an electron
In order to determine location or velocity of an

electron within an atom, it must be illuminated with radiation

However radiation interferes with the electron by

changing the position and/or momentum of the electron

This means radiation is giving 'false' information

ATOMIC ORBITALS

An orbital is a region in space within which there is a high probability of finding an electron Erwin Schrodinger used mathematics to calculate regions where an electron is likely to be found. He called them atomic Orbitals

 There is one s orbitals is each energy level and

they are spherical

There are three p orbitals in an energy level px,

py and pz. They are arranged at right angles to each other