Bohr Model of Atom - Bohr 2nd Postulate
- Bohr’s postulates explained the behavior of electrons in an atom
- Second postulate states that electrons move in fixed, circular orbits around the nucleus
- These orbits are called energy levels or shells
- Each energy level has a specific energy associated with it
- Electrons can only exist in these energy levels, not in between
- Electrons can transition between energy levels by absorbing or emitting energy
- The energy absorbed or emitted is quantized, meaning it is discrete and specific
- The energy difference between energy levels determines the frequency and wavelength of light emitted or absorbed
- The smaller the energy difference, the longer the wavelength of light emitted
Energy Levels and Quantum Numbers
- Energy levels are denoted by the principal quantum number, n
- Each energy level can have a maximum number of electrons, given by 2n^2
- The first energy level (n=1) can hold a maximum of 2 electrons
- The second energy level (n=2) can hold a maximum of 8 electrons
- The third energy level (n=3) can hold a maximum of 18 electrons
- Each energy level is further divided into subshells or orbitals
- Subshells are denoted by the angular momentum quantum number, l
- The number of subshells in an energy level is given by n
- Each subshell can hold a maximum number of electrons, given by 4l + 2
Electron Configurations
- Electron configurations describe the arrangement of electrons in an atom
- Aufbau principle: Electrons fill the lowest energy levels first
- Hund’s rule: Electrons fill degenerate orbitals (same energy) one by one before pairing up
- Pauli exclusion principle: No two electrons can have the same set of quantum numbers
- Electron configurations are written using the noble gas notation
- The noble gas notation represents the previous noble gas before the element, followed by the electron configuration of the remaining electrons
Electron Affinity
- Electron affinity is the amount of energy released when an electron is added to a neutral atom
- It is a measure of the atom’s tendency to gain electrons
- Electron affinity values can be positive or negative
- Positive values indicate that energy is required to add an electron, making the process unfavorable
- Negative values indicate that energy is released when an electron is added, making the process favorable
- Group trend: Electron affinity generally decreases down a group
- Periodic trend: Electron affinity generally increases across a period, with some exceptions
Ionization Energy
- Ionization energy is the amount of energy required to remove an electron from a neutral atom
- It is a measure of the atom’s tendency to lose electrons
- Ionization energy values can vary depending on the energy level from which the electron is removed
- First ionization energy refers to the energy required to remove the first electron
- Second ionization energy refers to the energy required to remove the second electron, and so on
- Group trend: Ionization energy generally decreases down a group
- Periodic trend: Ionization energy generally increases across a period, with some exceptions
Electron Configuration and Periodic Table
- Electron configurations can help determine the position of an element in the periodic table
- Elements in the same group have similar electron configurations in their outermost energy level
- Elements in the same period have sequential addition of electrons to the energy levels
- Group 1 elements (alkali metals) have a configuration of ns1
- Group 2 elements (alkaline earth metals) have a configuration of ns2
- Transition metals have a configuration of (n-1)d^1-10 ns^1-2
- Group 17 elements (halogens) have a configuration of ns2 np5
- Group 18 elements (noble gases) have a full outermost energy level (ns2 np6) and are stable
Orbital Diagrams
- Orbital diagrams show the arrangement of electrons in an atom using boxes to represent orbitals and arrows to represent electrons
- Each box represents an orbital, and each arrow represents an electron
- Orbitals within a subshell are sometimes shown as lines (s) or as boxes (p, d, f)
- Hund’s rule is followed when filling degenerate orbitals: electrons fill orbitals singly before pairing up
- The spin of electrons is represented by arrows pointing up or down
- Orbital diagrams can be used to determine electron configurations and to predict the reactivity of elements
Electron Pairing and Valence Electrons
- Valence electrons are the electrons in the outermost energy level of an atom
- They are involved in chemical bonding and determining the reactivity of elements
- Electrons in the outermost energy level are added in pairs, resulting in paired (spin up and down) or unpaired electrons
- Unpaired electrons make an atom more reactive because they can easily form bonds with other atoms
- The number of valence electrons can be determined from the electron configuration
- For main group elements (s and p block), the valence electrons are those in the outermost energy level
- For transition metals (d block), the valence electrons are those in the outermost d orbitals
Periodic Trends in Atomic Size
- Atomic size refers to the size of the atom, typically measured as the atomic radius
- Atomic radius is defined as half the distance between the nuclei of two adjacent atoms
- Atomic size generally increases down a group
- This is because each successive energy level further from the nucleus adds more electron-electron repulsion, causing the size to increase
- Atomic size generally decreases across a period
- This is because the effective nuclear charge (positive charge felt by valence electrons) increases, pulling the electrons closer to the nucleus, and thus reducing the size
- Bohr Model of Atom - Bohr 2nd Postulate
- Electrons move in fixed, circular orbits around the nucleus
- Orbits are called energy levels or shells
- Each energy level has a specific energy associated with it
- Electrons can only exist in these energy levels
- Electrons can transition between energy levels by absorbing or emitting energy
- Bohr Model of Atom - Energy Levels and Quantum Numbers
- Energy levels are denoted by the principal quantum number, n
- Each energy level can have a maximum number of electrons, given by 2n^2
- The first energy level (n=1) can hold a maximum of 2 electrons
- Subshells are denoted by the angular momentum quantum number, l
- Each subshell can hold a maximum number of electrons, given by 4l + 2
- Bohr Model of Atom - Electron Configurations
- Electron configurations describe the arrangement of electrons in an atom
- Aufbau principle: Electrons fill the lowest energy levels first
- Hund’s rule: Electrons fill degenerate orbitals one by one before pairing up
- Pauli exclusion principle: No two electrons can have the same set of quantum numbers
- Electron configurations can be written using the noble gas notation
- Bohr Model of Atom - Electron Affinity
- Electron affinity is the amount of energy released when an electron is added to a neutral atom
- It is a measure of the atom’s tendency to gain electrons
- Electron affinity values can be positive or negative
- Positive values indicate that energy is required to add an electron
- Negative values indicate that energy is released when an electron is added
- Bohr Model of Atom - Ionization Energy
- Ionization energy is the amount of energy required to remove an electron from a neutral atom
- It is a measure of the atom’s tendency to lose electrons
- Ionization energy values can vary depending on the energy level
- First ionization energy refers to the energy required to remove the first electron
- Ionization energy generally increases across a period
- Bohr Model of Atom - Electron Configuration and Periodic Table
- Electron configurations can determine the position of an element in the periodic table
- Elements in the same group have similar electron configurations
- Elements in the same period have sequential addition of electrons
- Group 1 elements have a configuration of ns1
- Group 17 elements have a configuration of ns2 np5
- Bohr Model of Atom - Orbital Diagrams
- Orbital diagrams show the arrangement of electrons in an atom using boxes and arrows
- Boxes represent orbitals and arrows represent electrons
- Hund’s rule is followed when filling degenerate orbitals
- Orbital diagrams can determine electron configurations and reactivity of elements
- Example: Oxygen (O) configuration: 1s2 2s2 2p4
- Bohr Model of Atom - Electron Pairing and Valence Electrons
- Valence electrons are in the outermost energy level of an atom
- They are involved in chemical bonding and reactivity of elements
- Unpaired electrons make an atom more reactive
- Valence electrons can be determined from the electron configuration
- Example: Carbon (C) configuration: 1s2 2s2 2p2, Valence electrons: 4
- Bohr Model of Atom - Periodic Trends in Atomic Size
- Atomic size refers to the size of the atom, measured as the atomic radius
- Atomic size generally increases down a group
- Atomic size generally decreases across a period
- Effective nuclear charge increases across a period
- Example: Atomic sizes of Li (largest) to F (smallest) increase across period 2
- Bohr Model of Atom - Summary
- The Bohr model of the atom explains electron behavior using energy levels and quantum numbers
- Electron configurations determine the arrangement of electrons in an atom
- Electron affinity measures an atom’s tendency to gain electrons
- Ionization energy measures an atom’s tendency to lose electrons
- Valence electrons and orbital diagrams play a key role in chemical bonding and reactivity
- Quantum Mechanical Model of the Atom
- Bohr’s model was unable to explain the behavior of atoms beyond hydrogen
- Quantum mechanical model is a more accurate model
- It considers electrons as both particles and waves
- Electrons are described by wavefunctions and probability distributions
- Wave-particle Duality
- Electrons exhibit both particle-like and wave-like properties
- Electrons can be described by a wavefunction, Ψ
- The probability of finding an electron at a certain position is given by |Ψ|^2
- Electrons can exist in superposition states, where they are in multiple states simultaneously
- Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle
- Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle states that it is impossible to simultaneously determine the exact position and momentum of an electron
- ΔxΔp ≥ h/4π, where Δx is the uncertainty in position, Δp is the uncertainty in momentum, and h is Planck’s constant
- Quantum Numbers
- Quantum numbers describe the energy, shape, orientation, and spin of an electron
- Principal quantum number (n) determines the energy level and size of the orbital
- Angular momentum quantum number (l) determines the shape of the orbital
- Magnetic quantum number (ml) determines the orientation of the orbital in space
- Spin quantum number (ms) determines the spin of the electron (+1/2 or -1/2)
- Electron Orbitals
- Orbitals are regions in space where there is a high probability of finding an electron
- s orbitals are spherical and have 1 orientation (l=0)
- p orbitals are dumbbell-shaped and have 3 orientations (l=1)
- d orbitals are complex and have 5 orientations (l=2)
- f orbitals are even more complex and have 7 orientations (l=3)
- Electron-Filling Order and Stability
- Electrons fill orbitals in order of increasing energy
- Pauli Exclusion Principle: No two electrons in an atom can have the same set of quantum numbers
- Hund’s Rule: Electrons fill orbitals singly with parallel spins before pairing up
- Filled and half-filled orbitals are more stable than partially-filled orbitals
- Electron Configuration Notation
- Electron configuration notation represents the distribution of electrons in an atom
- The orbital notation uses arrows to represent electrons in each orbital
- The electron configuration notation uses the principle, angular momentum, and magnetic quantum numbers to represent the electrons in each energy level and subshell (e.g., 1s^2 2s^2 2p^6)
- Valence Electrons and Chemical Properties
- Valence electrons are the outermost electrons of an atom
- They are responsible for the chemical properties and reactivity of elements
- The number of valence electrons can determine the group number of an element in the periodic table
- For example, group 1 elements have 1 valence electron, group 14 elements have 4 valence electrons
- Periodic Trends in Atomic Radius
- Atomic radius is the size of an atom
- Atomic radius generally increases down a group due to the addition of energy levels
- Atomic radius generally decreases across a period due to the increasing effective nuclear charge (positive charge experienced by valence electrons)
- Exceptions to the trend occur when electron-electron repulsion in larger atoms leads to an increase in atomic radius
- Summary
- The quantum mechanical model provides a more accurate description of the behavior of electrons in atoms
- Wave-particle duality describes the dual nature of electrons
- Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle sets a limit on the precision of simultaneous position and momentum measurements
- Quantum numbers describe the energy, shape, orientation, and spin of electrons
- Orbitals represent regions of high probability of finding electrons
- Electron configuration notation represents the distribution of electrons in an atom
- Valence electrons determine the chemical properties and reactivity of elements
- Atomic radius generally increases down a group and decreases across a period with some exceptions