The Atom

Important scientists made contributions that advanced the field of atomic theory, each
building on the work of their forebears. John Dalton, who gained recognition for his
revolutionary atomic theory in the early 1800s, is at the forefront. Dalton's postulates defined
atoms as single, unbreakable units that captured their essence. He claimed that although
different atoms combine to form compounds, atoms of the same element have the same
mass and properties. Dalton's theory also marked a major breakthrough in our
understanding of matter by introducing the idea that atoms rearrange during chemical
reactions.

J.J. Thomson investigated cathode rays after Dalton, revealing the existence of electrons.
His Plum Pudding Model provided a concrete representation of atomic structure by showing
electrons ensconced in a positive sphere.

A new era was ushered in by the discovery of the nucleus by Ernest Rutherford, a student of
Thomson. According to his research, positively charged particles that make up the nucleus
of an atom contain all of the mass of the atom. He discovered that electrons have different
orbits around the nucleus, which shaped the Rutherford Atomic Theory.

Dmitri Mendeleev, who is frequently credited with creating the Periodic Table, arranged the
elements in a methodical manner according to increasing atomic weight. Mendeleev's genius
went beyond categorization; he correctly predicted the existence of new elements, which led
to the later naming of one of his elements, mendelevium.

Niels Bohr, in addition to contributing to the Manhattan Project and establishing CERN,
proposed a revolutionary atomic model. Bohr's theory posited that electrons travel in distinct
orbits, determining the properties of an element based on their number. Elements like
Bohrium pay homage to his impactful legacy.

The evolution of atomic theory reached new heights with the Quantum Theory, an extension
of Bohr's work. Erwin Schrödinger introduced Quantum Numbers, describing the probability
of an electron's location. This theory also identified four orbitals—s, p, d, and f—providing a
more nuanced understanding of electron behaviour.