Bohr Atom Model

Bohr's model of the atom in a clear acrylic case: a positively charged nucleus at the centre, with electrons on three circular shells that are marked as energy levels.

How it works

1. Start at the positively charged nucleus in the centre
2. Follow the three shells outwards; each one is labelled as an energy level
3. Point out the raised electron beads that sit on each orbit

What students learn

• Electrons move around the nucleus in fixed orbits, or shells
• Each shell has a definite energy, and the energy rises from the inner shell to the outer one
• Bohr's model explained why the atom is stable, which Rutherford's model could not

Try these experiments

1. Place this model next to Rutherford's model and list what Bohr added
2. Use the shells to write the electron arrangement of the first 18 elements
3. Explain what happens when an electron moves to a higher shell and falls back

Curriculum fit

In the box

• 1 × Bohr Atom Model in a clear acrylic display case
• Nucleus, shells, electrons and energy levels labelled
• Raised electron beads on three orbits

Pairs well with

Rutherford's Atom ModelCHEM-137Atomic Model - Set of 120 BallsCHEM-102