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ATOMIC HISTORY TIMELINE

SCIENTIST EXPERIMENT DISCOVERY MODEL

First proposed the existence of


By observation and
Democritus an ultimate particle. Used the
previous work by other
(460 BC 370 BC) word atomos to describe this
scientists/philosophers.
particle.

Continued the thoughts of


By observation and
Aristotle (384 BC Democritus for atoms, but
previous work by other
322 BC) believed four elements were air,
scientists/philosophers.
earth, fire, and water.

Billard Ball Model: atoms are spheres that are indestructible


1803: defined an atom as the
Many observations and smallest part of a substance that
Dalton
experiments with can participate in a chemical
(1766 1844)
chemicals reacting. reaction. Proposed the Law of
Multiple Proportions.

Plum Pudding Model (1904)


Used cathode rays in discovered electrons embedded
1897 to show they were in a positive charge
Thompson
particles with an electric
(1856-1940)
charge smaller than an
atom.
Shot alpha particles
Rutherford Experiment (1911)
Rutherford (positive particles) at
discovered the proton and
(1871-1937) gold foil, which repelled
lectron cloud.
unexplained e
the alpha particles.

Continued Rutherfords
work by shooting alpha
particles (positive 1932: discovered the neutron
Chadwick
particles) at a because of its lack of electrical
(1891 1974)
substance rich in charge.
protons, which released
protons.

Used the Rutherford Bohr Planetary Model (1913)


model to explain how this model shows the interaction
Bohr
electrons can have of one electron with the nucleus
(1885 1962)
stable orbits around the and does not work for other
nucleus. atoms with more electrons.

Work with X-rays led


1924 Electron is both a particle
him to think about the
De Broglie and a wave with properties of
dual nature of light as
waves.
wave and particle.
Wanted to explain the
Schrodinger Wave Equation
Schrodinger movement of an
(1926) explanation of quantum
(1887 1961) electron in an atom as
numbers, orbitals, and orbitals
a wave using
perceived to have shape.
mathematics.

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