Bohr model of the atom

What was discovered

Electrons occupy orbits of quantised energy and emit or absorb light when jumping between them, which exactly reproduces the Balmer series. It links Rutherford's nucleus with Planck's quantum and founds quantum atomic physics.

The trilogy of papers was partly written in Manchester and published in Philosophical Magazine in 1913.

What it led to

• Old quantum theory (Sommerfeld)
• Heisenberg and Schrödinger's quantum mechanics
• Explanation of the periodic table
• Spectroscopy and lasers

Built on

• Periodic law and periodic table1869
• Balmer series and Rydberg formula1885
• Rutherford's nucleus
• Planck's quantum and Einstein's photon

Made possible

• Fine-structure constant1916
• Covalent electron-pair bond and octet rule (Lewis)1916
• Stimulated emission of radiation1917
• Saha ionization equation1920
• Correspondence principle1920
• Hafnium1923
• Wave-particle duality: matter waves1924
• Caesium atomic clock1955
• Laser (energy levels)
• Discharge and fluorescent lamps

📄 Original publication

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