On the constitution of atoms and molecules

by Niels Bohr

corresponds to a smaller value for the total energy than the configuration

; already for

the latter configuration, however, will be stable for displacements of the electrons perpendicular to the plane of their orbits. A ring of

electrons will not be stable unless

is very great; but in such a case the simple considerations mentioned above do not apply.

The confluence of two rings of equal number of electrons, which rotate round a nucleus of charge