Derivation of Bohrs Radius and Rydbergs Constant The centripetal force between the electron and the nucleus

is balanced by the coulombic attraction between them: mv 2 Ze 2 = 2 , where Z = atomic number and e = charge of electron r r

Note that Coulombs constant is not required if the unit kgm3/2s-1 is used for charge. Consequently, each expression will produce kgms-2, which is a Newton. Alternately, once can express velocity and mass using cgs(cm-g-s) and then use the esu for charge. 1esu = 3.33564 1010 C 1 kgm3/2s-1= 1.05482 X10 -5 C Since -1C = 6.2415061018 electrons, then charge of e = -1.5189 9 X 10-14 kg0. 5 m1. 5 s -1

Ze 2 , mv = r Ze 2 so r = mv 2
2

(1) (2)

Since the electrons energy is characteristic of its orbit, the energy cannot be lost or gained. It is quantized. According to Bohr, the angular momentum of the electron is a nh : whole number n multiple of 2 mvr =

nh , where v = velocity of electron; m = mass of electron; h = Plancks constant 2 nh v= (3) 2 mr

Substituting (3) into (2): r= Ze 2

2

nh m 2 mr n2h2 =r 4 2 mZe 2

Ze 2 4 2 m 2 r 2 mn 2 h 2

(4)

For the radius of hydrogens atom Z=1 n=1 h = 6.6262 X 10-34 Js = 6.6262 X 10-34 kg m2/s2 (s) = 6.6262 X 10-34 kg m2/s m = 9.1096 X 10-31 kg e = 1.5189 9 X 10-14 kg0. 5 m1. 5 s -1
2

12 (6.6262 X 10-34 kg m 2 s -1 ) = 0.529 X10-10 m 2 -31 -14 0. 5 1. 5 -1 2 4 (9.1096 X 10 kg)(1)(-1.5189 4 X 10 kg m s ) = 0.529 The total energy of the electron is the sum of its kinetic and potential energies:
r= ET = Ek + Ep = mv2/2 - Ze2/r Substituting (1) into (5): ET = Ze2/2r - Ze2/r ET = Ze2/2r - 2Ze2/2r ET = -Ze2/2r Substituting (4) into (6): (6) (5)

ET =

Ze 2 n2h2 2 4 2 mZe 2

4 2 mZ 2 e 4 2 2 mZ 2 e 4 = 2 2n 2 h 2 no h 2

When an electron falls back to a lower energy level, it emits a photon of energy h, which is the difference in the energy between the energy outer level, Eo and that of the inner level, Ei

2 2 mZ 2 e 4 2 2 mZ 2 e 4 h = Eo - Ei = 2 2 no h 2 ni h 2 2 2 mZ 2 e 4 1 1 , where = n 2 n 2 h3 o i

2 2 mZ 2 e 4 = h2

1 1 n 2 n 2 o i

2 2 mZ 2 e 4 2 2 (9.1096 X 10 -31 kg)(1) 2 ( 1.51894 X 10 14 kg 0. 5 m1. 5 s 1 ) 4 = = 3.29 X 1015 s-1 3 34 2 1 3 h (6.6262 X 10 kg m s )

This is known as Rydbergs constant and it can be used to calculate the frequencies for various emissions of hydrogen.
no =N outer 7 6 5 4 3 2 Lyman (s-1) n i= n inner = 1 Lyman wavel.(angstroms) =c/ radiation type Balmer (s-1) ni=2 7.55357E+14 7.31111E+14 6.909E+14 6.16875E+14 4.56944E+14 Balmer (angstroms) 3971.631 4103.343 4342.162 4863.222 6565.35 violet blue blue green red

3.19861E+15 3.1584E+15 3.08438E+15 2.92444E+15 2.4675E+15

937.9070777 949.8480243 972.6443769 1025.835866 1215.805471

EUV EUV EUV UVC UVC

EUV = extreme ultravilolet UVC = ultraviolet C

Paschen (s-1) nI =3 ni=3 2.98413E+14 2.74167E+14 2.33956E+14 1.59931E+14 Paschen (angstroms) 10053.19 10942.25 12822.95 18758.14 type IR-A IR-A IR-A IR-B

Balmer Visible Series

Lyman UV Series Paschen IR Series Energy Levels and Transitions in Hydrogen Atom

Science Page Maintained by Enrico Uva Technical Asistance: C. Frizzell; and M.Pololos, D.Verrillo and K.Papoulias at EMSB Comments: euva@videotron.ca