• Congratulations to the Class of 2024 on your results!
    Let us know how you went here
    Got a question about your uni preferences? Ask us here

Bohr's Postulates and the hydrogen spectra. (1 Viewer)

anurag96

New Member
Joined
Aug 26, 2012
Messages
19
Gender
Male
HSC
2013
Ok, I've been reading around and I've found different places saying different postulates were used to explain the observed hydrogen emission spectra.

The one that makes sense to me is his second postulate, where an electron has to absorb/emit a photon to change between stationary states. So when an electron moves to lower states it emits photon of energy with specific wavelengths.... the wavelengths observed on hydrogen emission spectra.

But then other places I've read that his third postulate of quantised angular momentum was used to explain the distinct spectral lines.

I'm a bit confused here, whether which one was used to explain hydrogen spectra, or was it the combination of both??

Could you help me out here??

Thanks!!
 

nightweaver066

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 7, 2010
Messages
1,585
Gender
Male
HSC
2012
From what I remember as the most important one, #2.

Do you have an explanation for why #3 would explain it?
 

Fizzy_Cyst

Owner @ Sigma Science + Phys Goat
Joined
Jan 14, 2011
Messages
1,212
Location
Parramatta, NSW
Gender
Male
HSC
2001
Uni Grad
2005
Ok, I've been reading around and I've found different places saying different postulates were used to explain the observed hydrogen emission spectra.

The one that makes sense to me is his second postulate, where an electron has to absorb/emit a photon to change between stationary states. So when an electron moves to lower states it emits photon of energy with specific wavelengths.... the wavelengths observed on hydrogen emission spectra.

But then other places I've read that his third postulate of quantised angular momentum was used to explain the distinct spectral lines.

I'm a bit confused here, whether which one was used to explain hydrogen spectra, or was it the combination of both??

Could you help me out here??

Thanks!!
His 2nd explains how the Hydrogen spectrum is produced (transition of electrons)

His first and third (combined with centripetal force and Coulombs Law) were able to describe the actual energy levels of the different orbits, so also explain spectral lines in terms of amount energy released (and hence the SPECIFIC wavelengths produced by the transitions -- quantitative), rather than the mechanism for their appearance.
 

anurag96

New Member
Joined
Aug 26, 2012
Messages
19
Gender
Male
HSC
2013
His 2nd explains how the Hydrogen spectrum is produced (transition of electrons)

His first and third (combined with centripetal force and Coulombs Law) were able to describe the actual energy levels of the different orbits, so also explain spectral lines in terms of amount energy released (and hence the SPECIFIC wavelengths produced by the transitions -- quantitative), rather than the mechanism for their appearance.
Thanks!! cleared up now!
 

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Users: 0, Guests: 1)

Top