Scribd
Upload
22 views

atom

Uploaded by

Ashamae Sidayen
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
22 views

atom

Uploaded by

Ashamae Sidayen
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 7

THE HISTORY of the ATOM

TIMELINE: 400 BC

SCIENTIST: Democritus (Greek


Philosopher)

Democritus was a He called this the


Greek philosopher who theory of the
was the first person to universe:
use the term atom
(atomos: meaning -All matter consists of
indivisible). atoms, which are bits of
matter too small to be
He thought that if you seen.
take a piece of matter
and divide it and -There is an empty space
continue to divide it between atoms
you will eventually
come to a point where -Atoms are completely
you could not divide it solid
any more. This
fundamental or basic -Atoms have no internal
unit was what structure
Democritus called an
atom.
-Each atom (of a
different substance) is
different in size, weight
and shape.
TIMELINE: 1800’s

SCIENTIST: John Dalton

John Dalton was the first to adapt


Democritus’ theory into the first modern
atomic model.

John Dalton’s Atomic Model:

1. All matter consists of


tiny particles called
atoms
2. Atoms are
indestructible and
unchangeable
3. Elements are
characterized by the
weight of their atoms
4. When elements react,
it is their atoms that
have combined to
form new compounds

TIMELINE: 1890’s

SCIENTIST: J.J Thomson

J.J Thomson was a physicist who is credited for discovering the


electron. He used his research on cathode ray tube
technology in this discovery.

CATHODE RAY TUBE

+
-
Modern Day Tube

1. Nearly Empty tube (Air has been sucked


out)
2. An electric charge is passed through the
tube. Travels from cathode to anode
3. The charge is invisible, so to see where it
traveled a fluorescent screen is placed at
back of tube. Where the beam hits, a dot
will appear on the screen. You could also
use a fluorescent gas and the whole tube
will light up.
4. This beam will always travel straight if not
interfered with.
5. The deflection coils each have a specific
charge. One is positive and the other is
negative. J.J Thomson was an excellent
6. Thomson showed (as in the diagram physicist and thus did not
above) that the charge would deflect away stop when he had found this
from the negative coil. He then stated that negative charge. Through
this charge was thus a negative charge. a series of clever
experiments he was able to
predict the mass of this
charge.

SCIENTIFIC INTERPRETATION AT ITS BEST

He then found out that this charge was 1000 times lighter that a
hydrogen atom. He made a bold statement saying that this negative
charge must be inside an atom. This negative charge (he called
corpuscles) later became known as the electron.
THOMSON’S ATOMIC MODEL
Using what he had discovered, Thomson
predicted what an atom should look like. These
are the key points to Thomson’s Atomic Model:

1. Because of its design this model is known


as the plum pudding model
2. Each atom is a sphere filled with
positively charged ‘fluid’. This resembles the
sticky jam part of a pudding.
3. Corpuscles (later called electrons), are
the negatively charged particles suspended in
this ‘fluid’. This resembles the plums in the
pudding.
4. He did not predict the movement of
these electrons

TIMELINE: 1910’s
SCIENTIST: Ernest Rutherford

Ernest Rutherford was not convinced about the model


of the atom proposed by Thomson. He thus set up his
now famous Gold Foil Experiment.

1. He fired alpha particles


(positively charged) at
a gold foil.
2. He measured the
deflection as the
particles came out the
other side.
3. Most of the particles
did not deflect at all.
Every now and then a
particle would deflect
all the way back.
4. He said that there
must be a positive
centre of the foil. He
RUTHERFORD’S ATOMIC MODEL (AKA THE PLANETARY
MODEL)

1. The nucleus of
the atom is a dense mass of
positively charged particles.
2. The electrons
orbit the nucleus
3. A problem
raised was: Why are the
negatively charged particles
not attracted by the positively
charged nucleus
4. Rutherford
stated that the atom was like
a mini solar system and that
the electrons orbited the
nucleus in a wide orbit. That is
why it is known as the
planetary model.

TIMELINE: 1910’s
SCIENTIST: Neils Bohr

Niels Bohr agreed with the


planetary model of the
atom, but also knew that
it had a few flaws. Using
his knowledge of energy
and quantum physics he
was able to perfect
Rutherford’s model. He
was able to answer why the electrons did not collapse into the
nucleus.

BOHR’S ATOMIC MODEL (AKA THE RUTHERFORD-BOHR


MODEL)
1. Electrons orbit the nucleus
in orbits that have a set size
and energy.
2. The lower the energy of
the electron, the lower the
orbit.
3. This means that as
electrons fill up the orbitals,
they will fill the lower energy
level first.
4. If that energy level is fill
(or at capacity), a new energy Problems with this
level will begin. theory:
5. Radiation is when an
electron moves from one level Electrons do not
to another. travel on a specific
orbit or path.

TIMELINE: 1920’s
SCIENTIST: Erwin Schrödinger
Erwin Schrödinger was a revolutionary physicist
who used Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle to
come up with the atomic model that we still use
today.
SCHRÖDINGER’S ATOMIC MODEL (AKA THE CLOUD MODEL)

1. An electron does not travel in an exact orbit


2. We can predict where it will probably be
3. We cannot say for certain where it is, but only where it
ought to be.
The type of probability orbit is dependent on the energy level described
by Bohr.

You might also like