OHSC0

Einstein &
Brownian Motion:
Expanding the
Atomic Theory

Hannah Risin
 Albert Einstein
● Einstein was a German Jew born in 1879
● He dedicated his life to theoretical physics
● He is best known for his theory of Special Relativity
and quantum theory*
● He wrote to FDR leading to the creation of the
manhattan project
● He won the physics nobel prize in 1921 for the
photoelectric effect
● He trained at ETH Zurich and worked and argued with
many other scientists: Max Planck or Niels Bohr.
● Is considered the father of modern physics
 Outline: Einstein & The Atomic Theory (ft.
Brownian Motion
● In 1827 Robert Brown observed that when in suspended motion molecules move randomly based on
collisions and reactions with one another.
● In the 18th and 19th centuries the work of scientists like James Dalton, Mendeleyev, and Robbert Brown had
contributed to the growing acceptance of the Atomic theory. However it was still a theory.
● In the early 20th century Albert Einstein grew to prominence by using math to further explain the atom. He
discovered the size of an atom. He went further to confirm Avogadro's number which gives us a way to find
the number of molecules in each mole. These explorations showed the world what it looked like at the
smallest fundamental level.
● Albert Einstein worked on bringing atomic theory out of the abstract world when he observed molecules
behaving as according to Brownian motion and with that he realized that at these fundamental levels there
would eb fluctuations suggesting that the motion of atoms is random as well
 Brownian Motion

In 1827 Robert Brown observed how molecules of pollen

moved in a crowded manner and theorized that the
molecules moved based on collisions with one another
when in a suspended liquid. This theory would be tested by
many individuals for the next near century until Einstein
would confirm based on further observations and
statistical fluctuations which pointed to → random
movement. He would also apply this too atoms.
 600 BCE - Democritus 1803 - Dalton’s Atomic
argues for a fundamental Model and Berzelius leads
thing at the base of to increased popularity and
everything. a modern model reconciled
with Scientific
advancement.

500 BCE - Parmenides 100 CE - Lucretius’ On the

introduces the problem of Nature of Things outlines
change. atomism and provides a
1827 - Robert Brown’s
guide to how atomism
discovery of molecules’
could look in practice.
random movement
leads to more research
into how atoms function
1900s - Einstein works on confirming not proving that they
the theory. He finds a way to show function
the size of an atom and proves
brownian motion applies to atoms.
He confirmed a theory that started
2400 years before him

Avogadro and Perrin timeline of the atomic theory

 Einstein's Argument for the Atomic
Theory’s existence and movement
At the base of everything Atoms can not only be
there are atoms as the observed but we can
fundamental building calculate the size of
block for matter atoms.

When looking at atoms

Atoms exist and move
the same way as
molecules do → the
exist and exhibit
brownian motion
we can observe
statistical fluctuations
that suggest atoms move
randomly
 Discussion Questions

Does bringing theories out of the abstract and into the real world make them
more plausible?

Was Einstein a realist or instrumentalist? How is his outlook demonstrated

in his work with atomism?
Bibliography - Scholarly Sources

Don Howard; Was Einstein Really

a Realist?. Perspectives on
Science 1993; 1 (2): 204–251. doi:
https://doi.org/10.1162/posc_a_
00435