SCH4U- UNIT 1

3.1 Early Atomic Theories and the Origins of Quantum Theory

What is matter made of?
Democritus: elementary particles
STM (scanning tunnelling microscope): Scientist can now “see” individual atoms
Quantum Mechanical Model
In summary: an entity (nucleus) surrounded by even tinier fundamental entities
(electrons) that are neither particles nor waves
Can be described only using mathematical equations
John Dalton (1766-1844)
Dalton proposed the _______________ _______________ in 1805 which stated
that
1. Elements consist of atoms
2. Atoms cannot be created, destroyed, or divided
3. Atoms of the same element have identical size, mass and other properties
Interested in _______________ that make up the Earth’s atmosphere
Dalton inferred _______________ _____ _______________ in compounds by
taking ratios of the weights of reactants, setting the atomic weight of
_______________ to be identically one.
Dalton’s view of the atom is that of a solid sphere, similar to a _______________
_______________.
J.J. Thomson (1856-1940)
Thomson discovered the _______________ (part of the atoms that
is_______________ _______________)
_______________ _______________ _______________ experiment
Cathode ray tube: a glass tube that has most of the air pumped out, and two
electrodes at either end.
Applied a high voltage to a gas discharge tube
He observed a ray that started from the negative electrode (i.e. cathode)

Cathode Ray Tube

The _______________ _______________ of an electric field _______________ ____
____
Determined the charge-to-mass ratio of an electron
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e/m = -1.76*10^8 C/g
J.J. Thomson
o Thomson also reasoned that atoms must contain a _______________
_______________ since atoms are electrically neutral
o “Plum-pudding model”: electrons were much like raisins in pudding, where the
_______________ ____ _______________ and the _______________ ____
____ _______________ _______________
Robert Milikan
1909: Milikan oil drop experiment
Used charged oil drops to determine the charge of an electron
Calculated the charge on the oil drop from the voltage and mass
Mass of an electron: 9.11*10^-31 kg
Ernest Rutherford (1871-1937)
Henri Becquerel and Marie Curie discovered _______________ in 1896.
_______________: energy, particles or waves that travel through space or
substances
Elements that emit radiation are radioactive
_______________: the spontaneous decay of the nucleus of an atom
Ernest Rutherford (studied at McGill!) discovered that radioactivity was caused
by _______________ of atoms
Radiation could be split into 3 types of beams with magnetic fields.
Alpha particles (positive particle)
Beta particles (negative particle)
Rutherford became interested in the atomic structure.
He theorized that using Thomson’s model, alpha particles should pass through
atoms with only minor deflections

_______________ _______________ _______________

Alpha particles can be detected as a flash of light when they strike zinc sulfide.
A sheet of gold was hammered into a very thin sheet of foil.
Flashes of light should form only opposite the emitter.
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Rutherford was shocked that the a particles bounced backwards and at various
angles
He concluded that the atom contained a tiny, dense core that was positively
charged.
The _______________ alpha particles (at various angles) must have
_______________ _______________ to the positively charged centre
Alpha particles that _______________ _______________ must have made a
_______________ _______________ on the centre
Discovery of the nucleus: a dense, postively charged centre
Later named the positive charges; _______________
_______________ _______________ worked with Rutherford to conclude the
existence of the _______________ (uncharged/ neutral particles) from studying
nuclei of different elements
Atoms and Isotopes
o Nucleus is very small compared to the size of the atom
o Although it contains the majority of the atom’s mass
o Refer to page 137 in your textbook
o Why do different atoms have different chemical properties?
o The _______________ ____ _______________ in each atom!
o All the volume in an atom, but no mass
o The number of neutrons in a neutral atom can differ
o _______________ : atoms with the same number of protons but different
numbers of neutrons
o Same atomic number (Z) – number of protons
o Different mass number (A) – total number of protons and neutrons
o Identical chemical properties
o Can be synthesized from other elements

Radioisotopes
o _______________: isotope with an unstable nucleus (decays and emits
radioactive gamma rays)
o Used in carbon dating, nuclear energy, and medicine
o Example: carbon-14 used in archaeological dating

Homework: pg. 142 #1-5, 7 and 8

SCH4U- UNIT 1