🧪 Development of the Atomic Model – Notes
1. Scientists and Philosophers Who Contributed to the Atomic Model
Democritus (400 BCE) – Ancient Greek philosopher, first idea of atoms.
John Dalton (1803) – Father of modern Atomic Theory.
J.J. Thomson (1897) – Discovered the electron.
Ernest Rutherford (1911) – Discovered the nucleus.
Niels Bohr (1913) – Introduced electron energy levels.
Erwin Schrödinger (1926) – Quantum Mechanical Model.
James Chadwick (1932) – Discovered the neutron.
2. Contributions to the Atom
a. Democritus
Proposed that matter is composed of tiny, indivisible particles called atomos (“indivisible” in Greek).
Believed atoms are:
o Solid and indestructible.
o Different in size and shape.
o Always in motion.
His idea was philosophical, not based on experiments.
b. John Dalton
Developed the first scientific Atomic Theory (1803):
1. All matter is made up of tiny particles called atoms.
2. Atoms of the same element are identical, and atoms of different elements are different.
3. Atoms combine in simple whole-number ratios to form compounds.
4. Atoms cannot be created, divided, or destroyed in chemical reactions.
Dalton’s theory explained the Law of Conservation of Mass and the Law of Definite Proportions.
3. Scientists and Philosophers Who Contributed to the Atomic Model
(Same as #1, but emphasized for repetition in notes)
Democritus → Dalton → Thomson → Rutherford → Bohr → Schrödinger → Chadwick.
4. Contributions to the Atom
c. J.J. Thomson (1897)
Conducted the Cathode Ray Tube experiment.
Discovered the electron (negatively charged particle).
Proposed the “Plum Pudding Model”:
o Atom is a positively charged sphere.
o Electrons are scattered within like “raisins in pudding.”
d. Ernest Rutherford (1911)
Conducted the Gold Foil Experiment.
o Most particles passed through → atom is mostly empty space.
o Some particles deflected → presence of a dense, positive core.
Discovered the nucleus (tiny, dense, positively charged center).
Proposed the Nuclear Model:
o Electrons orbit around the nucleus.
5. Scientists and Philosophers Who Contributed to the Atomic Model
Democritus, Dalton, Thomson, Rutherford, Bohr, Schrödinger, Chadwick.
6. Contributions to the Atom
e. Niels Bohr (1913)
Proposed the Bohr Model (Planetary Model).
o Electrons orbit the nucleus in specific paths (energy levels or shells).
o Each orbit has a fixed energy.
o Electrons can jump between orbits by absorbing or releasing energy (explains light spectra).
f. Erwin Schrödinger (1926)
Developed the Quantum Mechanical Model (most accurate today).
Treated electrons as waves and particles (Wave-Particle Duality).
Proposed that electrons do not move in fixed paths but in probability regions called orbitals.
This model describes the electron cloud where electrons are most likely found.
7. Timeline of the Atomic Model
400 BCE – Democritus: Matter made of indivisible atoms.
1803 – Dalton: Atomic Theory with indivisible, identical atoms.
1897 – Thomson: Electron discovered, Plum Pudding Model.
1911 – Rutherford: Nucleus discovered, Nuclear Model.
1913 – Bohr: Electrons in fixed energy levels, Planetary Model.
1926 – Schrödinger: Quantum Mechanical Model, electron clouds.
1932 – Chadwick: Neutron discovered, completing the modern atomic model.
8. Historical Background (Timeline Explained)
Democritus: Idea of indivisible particles (atoms).
Dalton: First scientific proof → explained laws of matter and compounds.
Thomson: Showed atoms are divisible → discovered electrons.
Rutherford: Found the nucleus, proved most of atom is empty space.
Bohr: Refined model with electron shells and energy levels.
Schrödinger: Introduced orbitals and quantum mechanics → modern model.
Chadwick: Discovery of the neutron explained atomic mass and stability.
9. Subatomic Particles of an Atom
1. Proton (p⁺):
o Charge: +1
o Location: Nucleus
o Mass: ~1 atomic mass unit (amu)
2. Neutron (n⁰):
o Charge: 0 (neutral)
o Location: Nucleus
o Mass: ~1 amu
3. Electron (e⁻):
o Charge: –1
o Location: Outside nucleus in shells/orbitals
o Mass: ~1/1836 amu (negligible compared to protons & neutrons)
10. Structure of an Atom
Nucleus (center):
o Contains protons (+) and neutrons (0).
o Dense and positively charged.
Electron shells (energy levels):
o Electrons (–) move around the nucleus in shells/orbitals.
o 1st shell: up to 2 electrons
o 2nd shell: up to 8 electrons
o 3rd shell: up to 18 electrons (and so on).
✏ Simple Labeled Sketch