Evolution of the

Atomic Models
Timeline Item
Democritus – created the first atomic model, it was a round sphere
400 B.C with no electrons, protons and neutrons. It helped future scientists
and chemist understand the idea of an atom.
Aristotle – developed a theory that was based on the four elements.
400 B.C
Which he named the earth, fire, water and air.
John Dalton – proposed his modern theory of the atom. Based it upon
5 factors;
1. Matter is made up of atoms that are indivisible and
indestructible
2. All atoms of an element are identical
1803 3. Atoms of different elements have different weights and
different chemical properties
4. Atoms of different elements combine in simple whole
numbers that form compound.
5. Atoms cannot be destroyed, when a compound decomposes
the atoms are recovered unchanged.
Joseph John Thompson – discovered the electron, which he then
proposed the Plum Pudding Model (Raisin Bun Model) in 1904 before
1897 the discovery of the atomic nucleus in order to include the electron in
the atomic model. In his model, the atom is composed of electrons
which he called “corpucsles”.
Ernest Rutherford – theorized that atoms have positive charge
concentrated on a tiny nucleus. With his discovery and interpretation
of the ‘’scattering gold foil experiment’’, he pioneered an artificially
1911
induced nuclear reaction in 1917 in experiments were nitrogen nuclei
were bombarded with alpha
particles.
Niels Bohr – presented the atomic structure, he passed on to a study
of a structure of atoms based on Rutherford’s discover on the atomic
1913
nucleus, this leads him to the picture of his atomic model, which is the
planetary model.
Erwin Schrodinger – generated a powerful mathematical model for
the distribution of electrons in an atom. The solution of his equation
led to quantum numbers which provided the address of the electrons
1926
in an atom. He combined his equations with the behavior of waves
with the de Broglie equation to generate a mathematical model for the
distribution of electrons in an atom.
Werner Heisenberg – formulated the uncertainty principles that the
more precisely the position of an electron is determined the less
1927
precisely the momentum, mass and velocity is known in this thing and
vice versa. Said that the quantum mechanics & cloud model
James Chadwick – proved the existence of neutrons. Discovered a
new method of detecting particles emitted by radioactive elements
developed by Irene Joliot-Curie. He established the essential nature of
1933 the atomic nucleus with also the discovery of the neutron in the
determination that it was a new element particle distinct from the
proton. The discovery of fission led to the creation of both nuclear
power and weapons by the end of WW II.