Scribd
Upload
10 views1 page

Atomic Theory

The document outlines the evolution of atomic theory from ancient Greek philosophy to modern quantum mechanics, highlighting key figures and their contributions. It begins with Democritus's concept of indivisible atoms and progresses through significant developments by Dalton, Thompson, Rutherford, Bohr, de Broglie, Schrödinger, Heisenberg, Chadwick, and Müller. Each scientist introduced crucial concepts that shaped our understanding of atomic structure and behavior.

Uploaded by

unluckyca
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
10 views1 page

Atomic Theory

The document outlines the evolution of atomic theory from ancient Greek philosophy to modern quantum mechanics, highlighting key figures and their contributions. It begins with Democritus's concept of indivisible atoms and progresses through significant developments by Dalton, Thompson, Rutherford, Bohr, de Broglie, Schrödinger, Heisenberg, Chadwick, and Müller. Each scientist introduced crucial concepts that shaped our understanding of atomic structure and behavior.

Uploaded by

unluckyca
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 1

Ross 24/9/11

the development of atomic theory


its evolution from ancient Greek philosophy to modern quantum mechanics

1. Ancient Greek origins (400 BC):


- Democritus proposed the concept of atoms as indivisible, indestructible particles.
- Aristotle's theory of five basic elements was more widely accepted for 2,000 years.
(It was four material elements plus the immaterial “element”. The 4 material elements are Fire, Earth, Air and Water.
The fifth element is translated into English as “Space”; his followers later used the Greek term “Aether” or “Ether”)

2. John Dalton (1803):


- Developed the first scientific atomic theory based on experimental evidence.
- Proposed five main postulates about the nature and behavior of atoms.

3. J.J. Thompson (1897):


- Discovered electrons using cathode ray tubes.
- Proposed the "Plum Pudding" model of the atom.

4. Ernest Rutherford (1911):


- Conducted the gold foil experiment, leading to the discovery of the atomic nucleus.
- Proposed a new model with a dense, positively charged center surrounded by electrons.

5. Niels Bohr (1913):


- Introduced the concept of discrete energy levels for electrons.
- Proposed the Bohr model of the atom with electrons in specific orbits.

6. Louis de Broglie (1924):


- Suggested that particles can behave like waves and vice versa.
- Applied this concept to electrons in atoms.

8. Erwin Schrödinger (1926):


- Developed a mathematical equation to describe the probability of finding electrons around
the nucleus.
- This led to the electron cloud model.

7. Werner Heisenberg (1927):


- Proposed the uncertainty principle, stating that the position and speed of an electron cannot
be known simultaneously.

9. James Chadwick (1932):


- Discovered the neutron, completing our understanding of the basic components of atoms.
- Increased the mass of elements without adding electrical charge

10. Erwin Wilhelm Müller (1951):


- invented the field ion microscope and is the first to see atoms.

You might also like