Which statement best describes how the Bohr model explains both the discrete line spectra of hydrogen and the stability of electrons in atoms?

• A. Electrons occupy fixed energy levels and can only transition between these levels by absorbing or emitting specific amounts of energy, resulting in discrete spectral lines and stable electron orbits.
• B. Electrons move randomly around the nucleus, causing continuous spectra and unstable electron positions.
• C. Electrons spiral into the nucleus, emitting energy continuously and causing atoms to collapse.
• D. Electrons are embedded in a positively charged sphere, which leads to the emission of all possible wavelengths.

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that the Bohr model was developed to explain why atoms emit light at specific wavelengths, producing discrete line spectra rather than a continuous spectrum.
2. Recognize that in the Bohr model, electrons orbit the nucleus in certain allowed, fixed energy levels or shells, and these orbits correspond to quantized energy states.
3. Know that electrons can move between these fixed energy levels by absorbing or emitting energy exactly equal to the difference between the initial and final energy levels, which explains the discrete lines in the hydrogen spectrum.
4. Realize that because electrons are restricted to these stable orbits with fixed energies, they do not spiral into the nucleus, which accounts for the stability of atoms in the Bohr model.
5. Conclude that the correct explanation combines the concepts of fixed energy levels, quantized transitions, and stable electron orbits, which together explain both the discrete spectral lines and atomic stability.