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Models of the Hydrogen Atom

Models of the Hydrogen Atom Screenshot Download 1,549 kB
Version: 1.11 (change log)
How did scientists figure out the structure of atoms without looking at them? Try out different models by shooting light at the atom. Check how the prediction of the model matches the experimental results.

See Below

Teaching Resources

Main Topics

  • Quantum Mechanics
  • Hydrogen Atom
  • Bohr Model
  • DeBroglie Wavelength
  • Schrodinger Model

Sample Learning Goals

  • Visualize different models of the hydrogen atom.
  • Explain what experimental predictions each model makes.
  • Explain why people believed in each model and why each historical model was inadequate.
  • Explain the relationship between the physical picture of the orbits and the energy level diagram of an electron.
  • Engage in model building.

Tips for Teachers

The teacher's guide (pdf) contains tips created by the PhET team.

Teaching Ideas

Title Authors Level Type Updated
Testing Ideas from Classical and Quantum Physics This contribution has received a Gold Star because it is a high quality inquiry-based activity that follows the PhET design guidelines (PDF) and teachers have found it useful. Bruce Palmquist UG-Intro
HS		 Lab 9/29/12
Models of Hydrogen Exploration This contribution was designed by PhET. This contribution has received a Gold Star because it is a high quality inquiry-based activity that follows the PhET design guidelines (PDF) and teachers have found it useful. Trish Loeblein HS Lab 9/26/12
Atomic Marco Polo This contribution has received a Gold Star because it is a high quality inquiry-based activity that follows the PhET design guidelines (PDF) and teachers have found it useful. Ryan White MS Lab 8/15/12
Model of the Hydrogen Atom Handout This contribution has received a Gold Star because it is a high quality inquiry-based activity that follows the PhET design guidelines (PDF) and teachers have found it useful. Ashley Webb HS
UG-Intro		 Lab
HW		 9/10/11
Using PhET in High School Chemistry- all my activities in pdf This contribution was designed by PhET. This contribution has received a Gold Star because it is a high quality inquiry-based activity that follows the PhET design guidelines (PDF) and teachers have found it useful. Trish Loeblein UG-Intro
HS		 Demo
CQs
Lab
HW		 7/20/13
Visualization and Visual Illusions SIM Homework This contribution was designed by PhET. This contribution has received a Gold Star because it is a high quality inquiry-based activity that follows the PhET design guidelines (PDF) and teachers have found it useful. Kathy Perkins, Carl Wieman UG-Intro HW 1/9/11
Atomic models homework (Inquiry based) This contribution was designed by PhET. This contribution has received a Gold Star because it is a high quality inquiry-based activity that follows the PhET design guidelines (PDF) and teachers have found it useful. Sam McKagan, Kathy Perkins and Carl Wieman UG-Adv
UG-Intro		 HW 1/8/11
Atomic Models and Spectroscopes Ted Clark UG-Intro CQs
Lab		 7/16/12
Light Emission and Lasers Debra Krause Dandaneau HS
UG-Intro		 Lab
Other		 4/17/09
Models of the hydrogen atom Paul Burgmayer HS Lab 11/20/08
Bohr model of the atom for Chemistry Emily Haynes HS Lab
HW		 3/31/08
Model of the Hydrogen Atom - Exploration curt miller HS Lab 9/18/07
수소원자의 모형 SIM 사용지침서 이화국(Wha Kuk Lee) HS
UG-Intro		 Lab
Demo		 5/17/13

You can submit your own ideas and activities.

Translated Versions:

Language Language (Translated) Simulation Title
Arabic العربية نماذج من ذرّة الهيدروجين Run Now
Basque Basque Hidrogeno Atomoen Ereduak Run Now
Bosnian Bosnian MODELI ATOMA VODONIKA Run Now
Brazilian Portuguese português (Brasil) Modelos do Átomo de Hidrogênio Run Now
Catalan català Models de l'Àtom d'Hidrogen Run Now
Chinese - Simplified 中文 (中国) 氢原子模型 Run Now
Chinese - Traditional 中文 (台灣) Models of the Hydrogen Atom 氫原子的模型 Run Now
Croatian hrvatski Model Atoma Vodika Run Now
Danish Dansk Model af hydrogenatomet Run Now
Dutch Nederlands Modellen van een waterstofatoom Run Now
Estonian Eesti Vesiniku aatomi mudelid Run Now
Finnish suomi Vety-atomin malleja Run Now
French français Modèles de l'atome d'Hydrogène Run Now
Galician Gallegan Modelós do átomo de Hidróxeno Run Now
German Deutsch Modelle des Wasserstoffatoms Run Now
Greek Ελληνικά Μοντέλα του Ατόμου του Υδρογόνου Run Now
Hebrew עברית מודלים של אטום המימן Run Now
Hungarian magyar Hidrogénatom-modellek Run Now
Indonesian Bahasa Indonesia Model Atom Hidrogen Run Now
Italian italiano Modelli dell'atomo di Idrogeno Run Now
Japanese 日本語 水素原子モデル。 Run Now
Kannada Kannada ಜಲಜನಕ ಪರಮಾಣು ಮಾದರಿ Run Now
Khmer Khmer គម្រូអាតូម​អ៊ីដ្រូសែន Run Now
Korean 한국어 수소원자의 모형 Run Now
Macedonian македонски Модел на атомот на Водород Run Now
Norwegian Bokmal Norwegian Bokmål Modeller av Hydrogenatomet Run Now
Persian Persian مدل های اتم هیدروژن Run Now
Polish polski Modele atomu wodoru Run Now
Portuguese português Modelos do Átomo de Hidrogênio Run Now
Russian русский Модели атома водорода Run Now
Serbian Српски МОДЕЛИ АТОМА ВОДОНИКА Run Now
Slovak Slovenčina Model atómu vodíka Run Now
Slovenian Slovenščina Modeli atoma vodika Run Now
Spanish español Modelos del Átomo del Hidrógeno Run Now
Spanish (Peru) español (Perú) Modelos del Átomo de Hidrógeno Run Now
Swedish svenska Model av Väteatomen Run Now
Tamil Tamil ஐதரச அணுவின் ஒப்புருக்கள் Run Now
Thai ไทย แบบจำลองอะตอมไฮโดรเจน Run Now
Turkish Türkçe Hidrojen atomu modeli Run Now
Turkmen Turkmen Wodorod atomyň modeli Run Now
Ukrainian українська Моделі атома водню Run Now
Vietnamese Tiếng Việt Mô hình Nguyên tử Hydrogen Run Now

Software Requirements

Windows Macintosh Linux
Microsoft Windows
XP/Vista/7
Sun Java 1.5.0_15 or later 		OS 10.5 or later
Sun Java 1.5.0_19 or later 		Sun Java 1.5.0_15 or later

Credits

Design Team Third-party Libraries Thanks To
  • Wendy Adams
  • Michael Dubson
  • Chris Malley (developer)
  • Sam McKagan (lead)
  • Kathy Perkins
  • Carl Wieman
  • Interviewer: Mindy Gratny
  • Interviewer: Sam McKagan
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