please someone give me a hand at this problem. . .
Describe the Bohr model of the atom. What is Bohr’s key idea (involving matter waves) that makes the Bohr atom have discrete
energy levels?
It think that the question is flawed, as it confuses the idea of matter waves with the Bohr model of the atom.
Bohr postulated that angular momentum is quantized in order to explain the discrete energy levels of atoms, see here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bohr_model
The idea of matter waves came later. It was proposed by de Broglie, see here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Broglie_hypothesis
The Bohr model of the atom was proposed by Niels Bohr in 1913 to describe the structure of an atom and explain its stability. In this model, electrons orbit the nucleus in circular paths called orbits or energy levels.
Bohr's key idea involving matter waves that gives rise to discrete energy levels is known as quantization. According to classical physics, electrons should continuously emit energy as they orbit the nucleus, eventually causing them to spiral into the nucleus and collapse. However, experimental observations contradicted this expectation.
To reconcile this discrepancy, Bohr incorporated the concept of quantization from the emerging field of quantum mechanics. He proposed that electrons can only exist in certain specific energy levels or stationary states, characterized by discrete values of energy. Electrons can transition between these energy levels by absorbing or emitting energy in discrete amounts, known as quanta.
Bohr's key assumption was that the electron's orbital angular momentum is quantized, which means that it can only take on certain specific values. The allowed values of angular momentum determine the allowed energy levels, thus giving rise to the discrete energy levels in the Bohr atom.
The quantization of angular momentum is related to the wave-like behavior of matter. Bohr suggested that electrons possess wave-like properties and can be described by matter waves, also known as de Broglie waves. The wave nature of electrons results in their quantized angular momentum and the corresponding discrete energy levels.
It's important to note that the Bohr model is a simplified representation of the atom and has limitations when applied to more complex atoms. However, it played a crucial role in the development of quantum mechanics and our understanding of atomic structure.