Summary

In this activity, students will answer questions while watching a video about Niels Bohr and learn how he redefined thinking about the atom and the electron. His model of the atom advanced our understanding of subatomic particles and holds an important place in the history and development of atomic theory.

Grade Level

Middle, and High School

Objectives

By the end of this activity, students should be able to

• Differentiate between Rutherford’s model of the atom and Bohr’s model of the atom.
• Explain the organization of subatomic particles in Bohr’s model of the atom.
• Understand at a basic level, the meaning of energy level.

Chemistry Topics

This activity supports students’ understanding of

• Atomic Structure
• Atomic theory
• Model of the atom
• Orbitals
• Electrons
• Subatomic particles
• History of Chemistry

Time

Teacher Preparation: minimal

Lesson: 10 minutes

Materials

• Niels Bohr Video
• Student Handout
• Projector with Volume
• AACT Student Pass (optional)

Safety

• No specific safety precautions need to be observed for this activity.

Teacher Notes

• The Niels Bohr video was developed as a part of the AACT original video series, Founders of Chemistry. The entire series can be found here.
• The running time of this video is five minutes and forty seconds.
• This video is intended for students to watch, and for teachers to integrate into their curriculum.
• The student questions/answers are presented in sequential order in the video.
• An answer key has also been provided for teacher reference.
• Videos can be shown with the use of a classroom projector, or teachers can generate a Student Pass through their AACT membership to allow students to independently access the video.