Atomic Theory Timeline

John Dalton: Ernest Rutherford: Erwin Schrodinger:

John Dalton discovered that all matter is Rutherford was the first person to Schrodinger discovered that the behaviour of
composed of small atoms, or particles. He discover that an atom has a dense electrons can be explained by treating them
discovered this theory by looking at the thermal mass in its center called a nucleus. as waves. He formulated a wave equation to
expansion of gases and evaporation. This lead him He conducted the gold foil calculate the energy levels in atoms. He
to believe that all matter is made of atoms. He was experiment that let him observe received a Nobel Prize for his work in 1933.
the first person to look at colorblindness. the positive charges in the atoms.

400 BCE 1803 1911 1946

1904 1913 1932

Niels Bohr: James Chadwick:
Democritus: JJ Thomson: Niels Bohr was the first scientists to James Chadwick discovered the
Democritus contributed the JJ Thomson discovered using discover that electrons orbit the neutron. He reasoned that it was a
understanding that all matter is Cathode Ray tubes that there nucleus. He based this off of the neutral subatomic particle in the atom.
made of particles. He found this are negatively charged hydrogen atom diagram. He won a He performed the Beryllium
information by theorizing that it subatomic particles, also known Nobel Prize in 1922 for his work. bombardment experiment. This gave
was possible to cut a substance as electrons. He related this to
or object infinitely without him the insight that there was another
plum pudding, the raisins being
taking away the integrity. subatomic particle that was in the
the electrons and the pudding
Democritus was known as the atom. His discovery lead to the
being the protons.
“laughing philosopher” creation of the atomic bomb.