Question

How does Bohr's atomic model explain the stability of an atom by overcoming the drawbacks of Rutherford's atomic model?
[3 Marks]

Answer 1

Rutherford's atomic model failed to explain the stability of an atom. Any particle in a circular orbit would undergo acceleration. During acceleration, charged particles would radiate energy. Thus, the revolving electron would lose energy and finally fall into the nucleus. If this would have been the case, then the atom would have been highly unstable.
[1 Mark]

In order to overcome the objections raised against Rutherford’s model of the atom, Neils Bohr put forward the following postulates about the model of an atom:

1) Only certain special orbits known as discrete orbits of electrons, are allowed inside the atom.
[1 Mark]

2) While revolving in discrete orbits the electrons do not radiate energy.
[1 Mark]