The de Broglie Waves and the Bohr's Theory

The de Broglie Waves and the Bohr's Theory

A nucleus around which electrons orbit; electrons that can "jump" from one orbit to another absorbing or emitting energy- what a strange idea of an atom! Why should it be of such construction? Although the idea of the atom created by Rutherford and Bohr explained much it wasn't perfect.
Louis de Broglie was the one who found the solution. As you probably remember his conclusion about matter was that each particle except its corpuscular nature has also the wave nature. Also an electron circulating/rotating around a nucleus has a wave of some length. De Broglie suggested that orbits permitted for the electron are those, which circuit is equal to the exact multiple of the electron wavelength.

To understand it better let's take a look at the example of everyday life. I guess everybody has seen or even played a string instrument (a guitar, a violin, or a harp). Playing such instrument one induces different waves on strings. But most of these waves fade quickly. Only waves maintain, which at both ends have so called nodes (see fig.).

It is similar with electrons. Their orbits are circles. So the waves must also form circles (waves have no beginning, or end). The circuit length must then be such to let the wave follow the same route in each encircle. So the circuit must be as long as some exact multiple of the electron wavelength.

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Let's imagine, for example, that we induce vibrations on a harp string. The wave that occurs has, of course, nods at the string ends. So let's now imagine that the string still keeps vibrating we take off the instrument. Next we tie together both ends. What we get here is a pictorial model of an electron rotating around the nucleus. Of course, the model can't be taken at its face value. Don't forget that the electron is both a wave and a particle – its nature is dual!

REMEMBER:

Louise de Broglie said that with each material object there is connected some wave.

The wavelength is inversely proportional to the product of the mass and the velocity of the object.

The orbits permitted for the electron are those with the circuit equal to the exact multiple of the wavelength.

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TEST no. 4

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	Louise de Broglie said that with each material object there is connected some wave.
	The wavelength is inversely proportional to the product of the mass and the velocity of the object.
	The orbits permitted for the electron are those with the circuit equal to the exact multiple of the wavelength.