HISTORY OF THE ATOM

Born in Greece
Proposed that all matter, including space 460 BC
and time, was made up of atoms
DEMOCRITUS
No experiments to support his theory

Came up with the "Billiard Ball" model, which

states that atoms are tiny, indivisible particles of
1803 elements. Also that all elements are composed of
JOHN DALTON atoms. And atoms of the same element are
identical and combined in fixed ratios to form
compounds

Created the periodic table that

organizes elements by their similarities 1869
and organized elements in rows by
MENDELEEV
increasing their atomic mass

Discovered that there is positive

1885 particles
Discovered that particles had an charge
EUGENE GOLDSTEIN that was equal and opposite to the
electrons

Earned a Nobel prize by

discovering radioactivity 1896
HENRI BECQUEREL

Came up with the "plum pudding" model, which consists

1897 that an atom consists of one large positive charge and

many small negative charges. He experimented with a
J. J. THOMSON magnet and his experiment showed the existence of
positive and negative subatomic particles

Came up with the "planetary" or "nuclear model, which he stated that every
atom has a tiny, dense, positive core, which he called the nucleus. He came
to the conclusion that the negative electrons orbit around the nucleus like
planets do around the sun 1907
- He experimented with foil and light and he was expecting the light to go
normally though the foil, but he was surprised that some of the light beams
bounced back. therefore, he realized that each atom must have a dense
ERNEST RUTHERFORD
core of positive charge..

1910 Determined the charge of a

single electron by using the
MILLIKAN
oil drop experiment

He realized that electrons are arranged around the nucleus

in very specific orbits or energy levels. By that, he also
realized that outer orbits in atoms could hold more electrons 1913
than inner orbits
He used light emmited from excited hydrogen atoms to NEILS BOHR
form his ideas about what the structure of atom looks like

Came up with isotopes

1913 Radiation is due to
FREDERICK SODDY transmutation of elements

Thought of the Uncertainty Principle,

this states that one is never able to 1925
know the exact location and energy of
an electron simultaneously HEISENBERG

Discovered the neutron, which helps

1932
balance out protons in the nucleus of
CHADWICK atom

Was awarded the Nobel 2013

peace prize HIGGS