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Limitation of Rutherford atomic model - Structure of Atom Video Lecture - Class 11

FAQs on Limitation of Rutherford atomic model - Structure of Atom Video Lecture - Class 11

1. What are the limitations of Rutherford's atomic model?
Ans. Rutherford's atomic model has the following limitations: - It failed to explain the stability of an atom. According to classical electromagnetic theory, an electron moving in a circular orbit would continuously lose energy and spiral into the nucleus. But stable atoms exist, indicating that Rutherford's model is not entirely accurate. - It couldn't explain the emission spectrum of an atom. Rutherford's model didn't provide any explanation for why atoms emit or absorb specific wavelengths of light. - It didn't explain the distribution of electrons in an atom. Rutherford's model described the atom as a dense, positively charged nucleus with electrons orbiting it. However, it didn't explain the arrangement or distribution of these electrons. - It couldn't explain the chemical behavior of elements. Rutherford's model didn't provide any insight into why atoms of different elements exhibit different chemical properties. - It neglected the existence of subatomic particles other than electrons and protons. Rutherford's model didn't consider the presence of neutrons, which was discovered later.
2. Why did Rutherford's atomic model fail to explain the stability of an atom?
Ans. Rutherford's atomic model failed to explain the stability of an atom because it was based on classical electromagnetic theory. According to this theory, an electron moving in a circular orbit around the nucleus would continuously lose energy and spiral into the nucleus. However, stable atoms exist, indicating that there must be something incorrect or missing in Rutherford's model. Later advancements in quantum mechanics provided a more accurate understanding of atomic structure, explaining the stability of atoms through concepts like energy levels and electron shells.
3. How did Rutherford's atomic model fail to explain the emission spectrum of an atom?
Ans. Rutherford's atomic model failed to explain the emission spectrum of an atom because it didn't provide any explanation for why atoms emit or absorb specific wavelengths of light. According to Rutherford's model, electrons were orbiting the nucleus in circular paths, but it didn't account for the specific energies and transitions that occur when electrons move between different energy levels. Quantum mechanics, on the other hand, introduced the concept of discrete energy levels and explained how electrons can absorb or emit energy in the form of photons, resulting in the emission spectrum of an atom.
4. What was the limitation of Rutherford's atomic model in explaining the distribution of electrons in an atom?
Ans. Rutherford's atomic model couldn't explain the distribution of electrons in an atom. Although it described the atom as having a dense, positively charged nucleus with electrons orbiting it, it didn't provide any details about the arrangement or distribution of these electrons. Rutherford's model implied that electrons were moving in circular paths around the nucleus, similar to the planets orbiting the sun. However, later advancements in atomic theory, such as the quantum mechanical model, introduced the concept of electron probability clouds and orbitals, which provided a more accurate representation of electron distribution in an atom.
5. How did Rutherford's atomic model neglect the existence of neutrons?
Ans. Rutherford's atomic model neglected the existence of neutrons because they were not discovered at the time of his model's development. Rutherford's model described the atom as having a dense, positively charged nucleus made up of protons, with electrons orbiting around it. Neutrons were discovered by James Chadwick in 1932, almost 11 years after Rutherford proposed his atomic model. The presence of neutrons in the nucleus was later incorporated into the improved Bohr-Rutherford atomic model, leading to a better understanding of atomic structure.
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