Nwando Ekezie

Mr. Musto
Chemistry 3R
10/26/11
Who is 1ohn Dalton?
John Dalton was an English chemist, meteorologist, and physicist. He is best known Ior
his work in the development oI the modern atomic theory and his research into color blindness.
His Iascination with weather and the atmosphere led to his research into the nature oI gases,
which he used as the Ioundation Ior his atomic theory. While he was still studying meteorology,
Dalton concluded that evaporated water exists in air as an independent gas.
He noticed how certain gases maintained the same ratios oI mixture regardless oI the
amount. This law oI proportions led him to believe that the ratios remained the same because
they were consistent down to the smallest particle or atom. He concluded that gases had to be
made oI small particles. John Dalton did more experiments to prove this and soon Iound that he
could use his theory and understanding oI gases and the elements to Iind out the atomic weight
oI each element. Taking and increasing Democritus' idea that atoms could not be split, he created
a new theory.
In 1803, Dalton had come up with his atomic theory. In this theory, it is stated that
elements are made oI the smallest particles called atoms. Also, all atoms Ior a particular element
are identical. Atoms oI diIIerent elements can be told apart by their atomic weight. In addition,
atoms oI diIIerent elements can combine in a chemical reaction to Iorm chemical compounds in
Iixed ratios. That means that no matter how much oI two or more elements are used in a reaction
the ratios oI the Iinal chemical compound would remain Iixed. Finally, atoms can`t be created,
destroyed, or divided because they are the smallest particles oI matter.