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Chapter 11: Introduction to Modern Atomic Theory
Bohr's model of the hydrogen atom failed to predict
the emission spectrum of helium, so a new model had to
develop which could do a better job. Bohr's model was
good for hydrogen, it just did not work for any other
element.
In the new model some features of the Bohr model
could not be abandoned: quantized energy levels for
example. It was this idea that explained the discrete
lines in the emission spectrum for any element.
When other scientist's studied the problem new
experiments revealed that electrons exhibited wave
behavior. This was very strang. Electrons acting like
waves!
When scientist thought of the electron as a wave.
Thinking about the electron as a wave meant the behavior
of the electron was totally different.
Scientist's found that it was not possible to know
exactly what the energy and the position of the electron.
This introduces the concept of the probability of finding
the electron. We can not know exactly the location or how
the electron moves.
So the electron occupies a three dimension region of
space...an orbital.
So we only know the electron is likely to be found in
a particular region of space.
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