Question

List the major drawbacks of Rutherford's model of atom and explain how Bohr's model of atom overcomes it.

Answer 1

Drawbacks of Rutherford's atomic model

According to Rutherford's atomic model, electrons revolve around the nucleus in circular orbits. But charged particles that in circular motion would undergo acceleration and this acceleration causes radiation of energy to them. Eventually, the electrons would lose energy and fall to the nucleus. If this happened the atom will become unstable.

Bohr model of the atom

• Electrons revolve around the nucleus of an atom in a certain definite path called the orbit or stationary state of the shell.
• The shells are having different energy levels denoted as K, L, M, and N.
• As long as an electron remains in an orbit, it neither absorbs nor emits energy.
• Thus Bohr's model of the atom could explain the stability of the atom.