11/15/23, 6:36 PM An Evolution Of The Atomic Theory: [Essay Example], 689 words GradesFixer

An Evolution of The Atomic Theory

Categories: Atomic Theory (https://gradesfixer.com/free-essay-examples/atomic-theory/)

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The atomic theory has advanced since the discovery of radioactivity in 1898. And so
much of modern technology is based on these advancements. They couldn’t have
happened without the discovery of electrons (e-), protons (p+), and neutrons (n0)
through experiments done by four key scientists.

Atomic theory starts to develop in 1897 when J. J. Thomson discovered the e- through
his cathode ray experiment. In this experiment (figure one) he had a partially
evacuated tube (a) with a cathode (b) and an anode (c) attached at each end. The
cathode and anode were hooked up to a power source with the cathode being
negative and the anode being positive. An electrical shock was sent through the
cathode and it emitted negative cathode rays that traveled in a straight line (d). But
when a positive magnet (e) was placed next to the rays, the rays deflected toward
the positive magnet (f), proving they are negative because opposites attract.

Another important discovery in atomic theory is protons. In 1910 at the University of

Chicago a scientist named Rutherford was puzzled over the structure of the nuclear
atom. J.J. Thomson had suggested a “plum pudding model” (Figure 2) of the nuclear
atom where the atom is a ball of positive charge with e- stuck in it, but Rutherford
wanted to put this theory to the test, so he conducted the gold foil experiment (Figure
3). There was a round florescent screen set up with a radioactive source at the
entrance. From the radioactive source Rutherford fired α- partials at thin gold foil. He
expected them to all go through with minor deflections but this wasn’t the case.
(Figure 4) He observed some particles moving off course from the straight line he
assumed them travel, and some particles being bounced back altogether. From this
observation came the conclusion that when a particle comes extremely close to
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where all the positive charge is located, it will move off course and when it hits this
core it will deflect back. Rutherford called the core he found the nucleus which also
makes up most of the mass of an atom and consists of protons. He found (figure 5)
that the nucleus is surrounded by positive charge and has e- particles stuck in it.

In 1911 Millikan was back on the job of electrons. Thomson had proven what the
mass/charge of a e- was, he wanted to determine what the actual charge on each
particle was. To do this he created the oil droplet experiment (Figure 6). Oil drops
were sprayed into a chamber will a very tiny hole at the bottom. When an oil drop
passed through the hole it was observed through a microscope and zapped with an
x-ray that removed all air particles from it. The positive charge given through the
plate above the particles was manipulated and monitored so the scientist could see
how much positive charge it took to balance the negative charge underneath and
the positive charge above and make the oil suspend in mid-air. From this they could
determine the negative charge on an electron.

Another thing that stumped Rutherford was why the atomic mass was larger than
the combined mass of protons and electrons in a substance. He proposed that it was
because of a neutral particle, but never did any experiments to prove this. In 1932
Chadwick took on the challenge and designed an experiment (Figure 7) where he
fired α- partials at a beryllium target. This then emitted particles that were allowed to
fall onto paraffin wax, then releasing more particles, protons. From energy
calculations he saw that the particles released from beryllium, as a result of the
arrival of α- partials on it, are uncharged and have essentially the same mass as
protons, he called them neutrons.

Without these important advances in atomic theory, it would be still assumed that
the atom is the smallest particle of matter. Technology would be stuck in 1803 with
John Dalton’s theory, and until a scientist came along with an experiment as brilliant
as these, there would not be modern technology or a understanding of science as
current as the one today.

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