How does Bohr’s model of the atom explain the line spectrum of hydrogen?

Question

Henry Antrim · Accepted Answer

It is due mainly to the allowed orbits of the electrons and the "jumps" of the electron between them:

Bohr tells us that the electrons in the Hydrogen atom can only occupy discrete orbits around the nucleus (not at any distance from it but at certain specific, quantized, positions or radial distances each one corresponding to an energetic state of your H atom) where they do not radiate energy.

When the electron moves from one allowed orbit to another it emits or absorbs photons of energy matching exactly the separation between the energies of the given orbits (emission/absorption spectrum).
We see these photons as lines of coloured light (the Balmer Series, for example) in emission or dark lines in absorption.

Hope it helps!

Xavier Avery · Answer

undefined Bohr's model of the atom explains the line spectrum of hydrogen by proposing that electrons orbit the nucleus in quantized energy levels. When an electron transitions between energy levels, it emits or absorbs energy in the form of electromagnetic radiation. The difference in energy levels corresponds to specific wavelengths of light, resulting in distinct lines in the spectrum.