How Niels Bohr created the quantum atom

Presentation of the development of Niels Bohr atomic model, which introduced quantum physics for matter. Bohr's atomic model introduced quantized electron orbits, providing a groundbreaking explanation for atomic spectra and electron behavior. This pivotal model laid the foundation for modern quantum mechanics and significantly advanced our understanding of atomic structure.

[Erratum]
15:41 Johann Balmer was Swiss, not German

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[References]

∘ N. Bohr, On the constitution of atoms and molecules, London Edinburgh Philos. Mag. & J. Sci. 26, 151: 1 (1913)

[Credits]

Ernest Rutherford, public domain
Rutherford atom animation, by G. Creador under CC BY 3.0
Fifth Solvay Conference, by Benjamin Couprie, AIP
Geiger counter by T. Vickers, public domain
Geiger counter sound, free use via Pixabay
Rutherford scattering, by S. Raphael, public domain
Thomson's atom, by Valkurare under CC BY-SA 4.0
Rutherford scattering, public domain
HMS Valiant battleship, public domain
Geiger-Marsden experiment expectation and result, by Kurzon under CC BY 3.0
Solar system, by Orrery under CC BY-SA 4.0
James C. Maxwell, Engraved by G. J. Stodart, AIP
Radio towers on Sandia Peak NM, by G.E. Johnson under CC BY 4.0
Harald and Niels Bohr, Niels Bohr Institute
Danish football team in 1908 Olympic Games at London, public domain
Cavendish Laboratory, Cambridge University, AIP
Physics Laboratory, University of Manchester
First Solvay Conference 1911, by Benjamin Couprie, public domain
Hydrogen orbitals, by C. Barraco as free license
Periodic table, by ExplorersInternational, free use
John W. Nicholson, AIP
Spectral lines, by Sassospicco/Jhausauer, public domain
Fraunhofer's original spectrum, by J. Fraunhofer under CC BY-SA 4.0
Spectra of the fixed stars and nebulae compared with the sun-spectrum, by Dodd, Mead and Company, public domain
Johann Balmer, public domain
Johannes Rydberg, by P. Bagge, public domain
Absorption spectrum, by Almuazi under CC BY-SA 4.0
Visible Balmer series, by MikeRun under CC BY-SA 4.0
Bohr atom animation, by Kurzon under CC BY-SA 3.0
Paul Langevin, by H. Manuel under CC BY 4.0
Maurice de Broglie, by M. Baschet, public domain
Bohr atom animation, by Kurzon under CC BY-SA 3.0
Hydrogen atom Balmer series, by MikeRun under CC BY-SA 4.0
Maurice de Broglie in his laboratory, by Bonney under CC BY 4.0
Maurice de Broglie, by Studio Harcourt under CC BY-SA 4.0
Drawing of Louis de Broglie, by C.S. Hauschka, AIP
Louis de Broglie, public domain

AIP: American Institute of Physics, Emilio Segrè Visual Archives

[sphakamisozondi]

This channel deserves more subs and viewer count

[JakeSeeber]

Awesome videos, so elegant and well put together. Thank you.

[timothygolden]

Very nicely done. Great details that put this piece beyond the usual regurgitation. Yet you buried nothing in the process. In the moment I feel more convinced than ever. Thank you for being so straight forward and for digging deeper too. Perhaps there is also an openness in your position that helps this content, for myself anyways. It is presented more as a discovery than a dictate.

[TimRobertsen]

Your videos are fantastic! Easily one of the absoluty top channels for QM and physics! Keep up the excellent work:)

[trevormugalu]

i wish i had a teacher like you while i was an undergrad.

[digguscience]

Bohr's explanation of the atom is indeed very impressive.

[dougr.]

Your videos are all excellent in both the history and mathematical components of physics and explain the physics thoroughly as well. Only slight adjustments to some pronunciations of names and words are noted to be needed, but no cultural slur is intended. The value of the content far exceeds minor slips in form

[kushagra]

The 2pi in the Bohr’s postulate always seemed really arbitrary, like how did he managed to get that? But now I finally got an answer…(except I haven’t really studied Hamiltonian mechanics just yet soo it will still take sometime for me to truly understand it…)

Coincidentally, today I also gave an exam of atomic structure!

[jamesfullwood]

Thank you Dr. Diaz these videos are quite remarkable!!!

[philoso]

Page 2.38 there are two but one kind of electric energy state that a moving point charge may produce, either inductive and radiative energies.

Conditions that govern a moving charge is radiative or inductive are:

(A) a (monopole) point charge displacement in 1 or 2D (linear circular or orbit) do not produce radiation, it only INDUCE electrostatic B field cannot radiate.

(B) (dipole) two, opposite poles point charge displace / vibrates in 2D produces radiation. Such as a dipole antenna serving mobile phone found on tower top.

(C) a (monopole) point charge displacement in (2+1)D such as helix trajectory around a B field core. Such as cyclotron radiation found in astronomy.

Orbiting electron around a nucleus is under (A) above, 1, 2D displacement do not radiate.

However when the atom vibrate being or under stimulated, it drag its electron along into the vibration, and the vibrating vector is summed into the electron’s orbit. The orbit changes from 2D into 1+2D, containing axial component, and that radiates.

Fortunately the radiated energy is derived from the excitation source and not from electron orbit decay.

It is not necessary to invent new physics on this example.

[EbrahimDabiri]

Thanks for your works. Please if possible increase your video production frequency by at least n=2.

[luudest]

12:45 What is here meant by total energy of the electron? Does the total energy consists of potential and kinetic energy?

[philoso]

Photo on page 5:10 is more natural to me as they all pay attention at the camera. However Bohr’s head image is too small to be real even accounting for his second roll location .

[keithlewis]

Question, age of nuclear mass, there degrade over time, so a nuclear weapon will degrade in time ? As mass is loss would this degrade of power ?

[shreyassmadane]

Love 💕 this video. Thank you for Amazing detailed information.

[JoeDeglman]

The Quntum Atom, an interesting piece of science fiction.

[berdigylychrejepbayev]

so bohr got lucky just by applying the popular trend in other areas into his

[vancetuber]

Hevesy's name is pronounced with an "sh", not an "s".

[Bobby-fjmk]

I always wanted to be a Noble prize winning scientist
so that everyone would respect me.

[chalkchalkson]

I'm not sure I like calling bohrs model quantum. To me it's an intermediate step between classical models and the schrödinger model. Neither quantum nor classical. Some really important aspects of quantum theories are missing still. Maybe "the first model of a quantized atom", similar to how einsteins description of the photoelectric effect didn't give us a quantum theory of light, but rather a theory of quantized light.
Btw my quantum theory prof told this story fairly similarly, but derived the quantised levels by treating the electron as a wave with wavelength obeying einsteins relation. Given that de boglie won't publish for another decade, I find that kind of hard to believe. Do you know if that has an ounce of truth in it, or was he just mixing up history a bit?