Bohr’s Model of Hydrogen Atom: A Review

This chapter has provided an alternate method of solving simple problems in atomic physics under Bohr’s model to aid good mental picture of hydrogen atom to scientists. Two values of fundamental physical properties of an electron in the hydrogen atom has been identified. By limiting the orbiting electrons to a series of circular orbits having discrete radii, Bohr could account for the series of discrete wavelengths in the emission spectrum of hydrogen. Light, he proposed, radiated from hydrogen atoms only when an electron made a transition from an outer orbit to one closer to the nucleus. These physical properties (Ve = 174090.938ms-1& Pe = 1.585860888 × 10-25kgms-1) are constant in nature. The aim for the review was to contribute to the solution of disagreement between the Bohr’s wavelength ( 0 = 91.12nm) and the Balmer’s experimental observation ( 0 = 91.18nm) for the emission spectrum of hydrogen atom. There are two other constants = 7.199822 × 10-10 eVm and = 1503796277m-1 that were identified in the Bohr’s equation of the hydrogen atom. The four fundamental physical constants can be applied to multi-electron systems because they are inherent characteristics of an electron. They can also be derived from the steady state hydrogen atom Schrodinger's equation. For a deeper understanding, these constants may be scrutinised for their determination. The study recommends that current quantum atomic models and equations governing quantum physics should be revisited for better applications and understanding of the physical world.