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What were the defects of Bohr's atomic model?

Question #114275. Asked by navonil1.

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evil44 star
Answer has 16 votes
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evil44 star
17 year member
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Answer has 16 votes.

Currently voted the best answer.
The Bohr model also has difficulty with, or else fails to explain:

Much of the spectra of larger atoms. At best, it can make predictions about the K-alpha and some L-alpha X-ray emission spectra for larger atoms, if two additional ad hoc assumptions are made (see Moseley's law above). Emission spectra for atoms with a single outer-shell electron (atoms in the lithium group) can also be approximately predicted. Also, if the empiric electron-nuclear screening factors for many atoms are known, many other spectral lines can be deduced from the information, in similar atoms of differing elements, via the Ritz-Rydberg combination principles (see Rydberg formula). All these techniques essentially make use of Bohr's Newtonian energy-potential picture of the atom.
The theory does not predict the relative intensities of spectral lines; although in some simple cases, Bohr's formula or modifications of it, was able to provide reasonable estimates (for example, calculations by Kramers for the Stark effect).
The existence of fine structure and hyperfine structure in spectral lines, which are known to be due to a variety of relativistic and subtle effects, as well as complications from electron spin.
The Zeeman effect - changes in spectral lines due to external magnetic fields; these are also due to more complicated quantum principles interacting with electron spin and orbital magnetic fields.
The model also violates the uncertainty principle in that it considers electrons to have known orbits and definite radius, two things which can not be directly known at once.

It also has an incorrect value for the ground state orbital angular momentum.

link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bohr_model#Shortcomings

Apr 23 2010, 1:03 PM
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