Atomic Theory

Chapter 4 Section 1

Standards
Imbedded Inquiry
Recognize that science is a progressive endeavor
that reevaluates and extends what is already
accepted.

Standard 1 Matter
Describe the structure and arrangement of atomic
particles.

Objectives
Explain why Democritus proposed the idea of the
atom
Outline the five postulates of the atomic theory
Explain the two major experiments of Thomson
and Rutherford
Compare and contrast Bohrs model of the atom
to the quantum mechanical model of the atom
Explain how the atomic theory has changed over the
years
List the contributors to atomic theory, their
contributions along with their models of the atom

Objective 1: Explain why Democritus

proposed the idea of the atom

Beginnings of
Atomic Theory

Democritus

Greek philosopher from the 4th century

First to say that universe was made of indivisible
particles
He called these atomos
Atomos means unable to cut or divide

Most people in his time thought that he was

crazyso why do you think that he proposed this?
Reason: it explained the changes in matter that
he observed
Democritus was not a scientistso he did not have
proof of his theory
Of course now days we know for a fact that atoms are
real and that everything is made up of these atoms!

Objective 2: Outline the five postulates of

the atomic theory

2000 Years After

Democritus
John Dalton

English school teacher

Wrote the Atomic Theory of Matter(Major

contribution!)

The 5 postulates of the atomic theory:

Elements are made up of particles called atoms

The atoms of a given element are identical
The atoms of different elements are fundamentally
different
Compounds are formed when different elements
combine
Chemical reactions involve reorganizing atoms, not
changing what they are

Model was known asthe billiard ball

Objective 3: Explain the two major

experiments of Thomson and Rutherford

The PhysicistSome 70
Years Later
J. J. Thomson

Experimenting with electricity in the form of

cathode rays
Found that cathode rays moved away from a
magnet in the positive direction
Conclusion: cathode rays are made of
negatively charged particles that must come
from the inside of an atom

What had Thomsons cathode ray experiment

discovered?
The electron!(Thomsons contribution)

Thomsons model for the atom was known as

the plum-pudding model

Objective 3: Explain the two major

experiments of Thomson and Rutherford

Thomsons
Research
Apprentice

Ernest Rutherford

Worked with Thomson on the cathode ray

experiment
Was testing Thomsons model with an
experiment known as the Gold Foil
experiment
Shot positive alpha particles into a thin
sheet of gold foil

Found that most particles went straight

through, but there were a few that actually
bounced back!
What did Rutherford discover?
The NUCLEUS!!

Proposed that the atom was made of a dense

center known as the nucleus but mostly
consisted of empty space
Model of the atom was the nuclear model

Objective 5: Compare and contrast Bohrs model of the

atom to the quantum mechanical model of the atom

The Guy with the

Bohring Name
Neils Bohr

Worked on quantum theory

Theory that light and other small particles
emit packets of energy known as quanta
First to mesh the quantum theory with the
atomic theory (Bohrs contribution)

Based off the emission spectrum of hydrogen

Suggested that electrons are found in certain

energy levels
Electrons orbited the nucleus in these energy
levels

Model was the planetary model of the atom

Objective 4: Compare and contrast Bohrs model of the

atom to the quantum mechanical model of the atom

Two Guys
with Crazy
Names..
Schrdinger and Heisenberg

Also meshed the atomic theory and quantum

theoryhowever
They did not mesh it to one element they wanted to
explain all the elements
Both came up with complex mathematic equations and
explanations as to why elements emitted certain colors of
light (their contributions)

They found that

Electrons are located in an electron cloud

Electron cloud is the probable location of the electrons

Model was known as the quantum mechanical model

(this is the model still used today)

Objective 6: Explain how the atomic theory

has changed over the years
Objective 7: List the contributors to atomic
theory, their contributions along with their
models of the atom

In Review

Atomic theory has changed over time

Democritus 1st to propose atoms

Dalton wrote atomic theory (which parts are still
valid today)
Thomson founded electron
Rutherford founded nucleus (NOT the neutron or
the proton these were found later)
Bohr first to mesh atomic and quantum theories
Schrdinger/Heisenberg came up with the
complicated mathematics behind the quantum
mechanical model of the atom

All of these people helped to form the modern

atomic theory, and all contributed certain points
that are still valid today