Final answer:
The Bohr model has three fundamental rules: electrons orbit in quantized energy levels, no radiation is emitted while in stable orbits, and energy is emitted or absorbed when transitioning between orbits. It importantly explained the emission spectra of hydrogen but had limits for multi-electron atoms.
Step-by-step explanation:
Niels Bohr's model of the hydrogen atom is an important concept in chemistry and physics. The model is based on three fundamental rules:
- Electrons orbit the nucleus in specific, stable orbits or shells without radiation.
- The orbits associated with these electrons have quantized energies, meaning electrons can only occupy certain energy levels.
- Electrons can move between these orbits by emitting or absorbing energy in the form of photons, where the energy of the photon corresponds to the difference between the initial and final orbit energies.
The Bohr model was a step forward from the Rutherford model and incorporated quantum mechanics to describe the energy states of electrons in an atom. The theory was a triumph in explaining the emission spectra of hydrogen atoms but had limitations, particularly in accurately predicting the behavior of atoms with more than one electron.
Bohr's theory marked an important transition in atomic theory, as it introduced the concept of quantization in physical systems which was a significant departure from classical physics. The energy-level diagram is a tool used to illustrate the discrete energy states that electrons can occupy in an atom according to the Bohr model.