Atomic And Nuclear Physics

3

Atomic Structure

THIS CHAPTER COVERS…

• Historical aspects and initial models of atoms.

• Rutherford's scattering experiment and its theory.

• Emission and absorption spectra of hydrogen on the basis of Bohr's model.

• Extension of Bohr's model to other atoms and its limitations.

• Concepts of quantum numbers, Pauli's exclusion principle and Aufbau principle.

3.1 INTRODUCTION

3.1.1 Historical Aspects

The nature of matter at microscopic level has always been on human mind since the beginning. As early as 400 BC, ancient philosophers pondered upon the existence of the smallest component of matter. In ancient Greek philosophy, the word atom was used to describe the smallest bit of matter. Atom was thought to be indestructible because the greek word ...