A Possible Reconciliation of the Atomic Models of Bohr and of Lewis and Langmuir

Abstract

BROADLY speaking, the merits of Bohr's atomic model lie in its very accurate explanation of the reaction of atoms and molecules with radiation, while those of the Lewis-Langmuir model lie in its very satisfactory representation of the mechanism of chemical combination, but the merits of either model are lacking in the other. Both must therefore possess properties which are accurate representations of the truth, and the problem remains to devise a third model which will incorporate those properties in its structure. The following considerations lead to a modification of the Lewis-Langmuir model, which appears to be a satisfactory solution of the problem—so far as I am aware it is new.