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Multiple Choice
Which of the following best describes a key difference between the modern atomic model and the Bohr atomic model?
A
The modern model states that electrons orbit the nucleus in perfect circles, just like the Bohr model.
B
The modern model describes electrons as existing in probability clouds called orbitals, while the Bohr model describes electrons in fixed circular orbits.
C
The Bohr model allows for electron clouds, while the modern model restricts electrons to fixed paths.
D
Both models state that electrons have definite positions and velocities at all times.
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Verified step by step guidance
1
Step 1: Understand the Bohr atomic model, which describes electrons as moving in fixed, circular orbits around the nucleus with quantized energy levels.
Step 2: Recognize that the modern atomic model, based on quantum mechanics, replaces fixed orbits with orbitals—regions in space where there is a high probability of finding an electron.
Step 3: Note that orbitals are not fixed paths but probability clouds, meaning the exact position and velocity of an electron cannot be simultaneously known (Heisenberg uncertainty principle).
Step 4: Compare the two models: Bohr's model uses definite circular orbits, while the modern model uses probabilistic orbitals to describe electron locations.
Step 5: Conclude that the key difference is the conceptual shift from fixed electron paths (Bohr) to probabilistic electron clouds (modern model).