CHEMISTRY COMMUNITY

Can anyone clarify why circlular standing waves around the nucleus illustrates why electrons have qunatized energy states in atoms? Thank you!

The wave model of electrons properly predicts energy levels if electrons are modeled as circular standing waves around the nucleus. This is because all waves--circular or not--have differing energies. However, for a circular standing wave to exist, it must be continuous and have no discontinuities so that it can form a circle. Only certain energies of waves allow for the circular wave to be continuous and have no discontinuities. Most other wave energies would result in a circular wave that is not continuous. Thus, the specific energies which allow for circular standing waves to exist are the "energy levels" of electrons.

Thanks for explaining!