Home › CBSE Class 9 › Chemistry › Alcohols Phenols Ethers › Why does the Rutherford model of an atom struggl…
Why does the Rutherford model of an atom struggle to explain how electrons can orbit the nucleus indefinitely without falling in?
AElectrons are not really there
BClassical electromagnetism predicts that accelerating (orbiting) charges should radiate energy and spiral into the nucleus — but real atoms are stable. This contradiction motivated the Bohr model.
CElectrons are repelled by neutrons
DElectrons are too light to feel attraction
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: B. Classical electromagnetism predicts that accelerating (orbiting) charges should radiate energy and spiral into the nucleus — but real atoms are stable. This contradiction motivated the Bohr model.
Classical physics predicted that an orbiting (i.e. accelerating) electron should continuously radiate electromagnetic waves and rapidly spiral into the nucleus. But atoms are observed to be stable. This contradiction led Niels Bohr (1913) to propose that electrons can only orbit at specific 'quantised' energy levels, where they don't radiate — laying the foundation for quantum mechanics.
Related questions
Besides VSEPR and the Kossel Lewis approach, which two theories are listed?Which theory is abbreviated VSEPR?Why can lattice enthalpy not be calculated directly from attraction and repulsion alone?Ionic bonds form most easily between elements with low ionization enthalpies and high negaWhat is the lattice enthalpy of sodium chloride?Lattice enthalpy is the energy required to separate one mole of an ionic solid into:The structures contributing to a resonance hybrid are called:Why was the concept of resonance introduced?