Rutherford vs. Bohr Atomic Models
Rutherford’s Model | Similarities | Bohr’s Model |
|---|---|---|
Electrons move randomly around the nucleus | Both have a small, dense, positively charged nucleus | Electrons move in fixed orbits (energy levels) |
Could not explain why electrons don’t fall into the nucleus | Both models include protons in the nucleus | Explained electron stability using energy levels |
No explanation for electron energy | Both models describe the atom as mostly empty space | Introduced quantized energy levels for electrons |
Only based on gold foil experiment | Both improved upon Thomson’s “plum pudding” model | Built on Rutherford’s model with new math & physics |
No mention of electron energy transitions | Explained light emission via electron jumps between levels |