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Physical science project - FA-4
Aim :-Write a report on the history of unveiling the structure of atom from John
Dalton to Neils Bohr.
Materials Used :- 1)Pen ,2) sketches,3)pad, 4) Notebook,5) Scale etc.
Reference :- 9th class physical science Textbook, Internet.
Procedure :-
John Dalton proposed atomic theory based on law of conservation of mass
and law of constant proportion as
1) Atoms were indivisible.
2) Atoms of an element are all identical to each other and different from the
atoms of other elements,
Later on various experiments conducted by Thomson, Goldstein, etc. proved
that atom is divisible and consists sub-atomic particles like electrons, protons
and neu- trons.
According to Goldstein,
1) Goldstein, in 1886, discovered canal rays, positively charged ions moving
opposite to cathode rays within discharge tubes, challenging prevailing views
of atomic structure.
2) Goldstein's observation provided crucial evidence for the presence of
positively charged particles within atoms, refining our understanding of
atomic composition.
3)His discovery laid the groundwork for advancements in nuclear physics.
And Based on this J.J. Thomson proposed a model of atom in 1898.
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According to Thomson,
1) An atom is considered to be a sphere of uniform positive charge and
electrons are embedded into it.
2) The total mass of the atom is considered to be uniformly distributed
throughout the atom.
3) The negative and the positive charges are supposed to be balance out and
the atom as a whole is electrically neutral.
This model is also called as plum pudding model or watermelon model.
Thomson's student Ernest Rutherford conducted alpha particle scattering
experi- ment and got the results which were not in favour of Thomson's model.
Based on his experiment, Rutherford proposed a model of atom.
According to Rutherford,
1) all the positively charged particles in an atom formed a small dense centre,
called the nucleus of the atom. The electrons were not a part of nucleus.
2) negatively charged electrons revolve around the nucleus in well-defined
orbits like planets revolve around the sun.
3) the size of nucleus is very small as compared to the size of the atom.
This model could not account for stability of atom, as revolving electron must
lose energy and eventually crash into the nucleus, as a result matter would not
exist in the form that we see it now.
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In 1913, Niels Bohr proposed another model to overcome Rutherford's defect.
According to Bohr,
1) only certain special, discrete orbits of electrons are allowed in side the atom.
These orbits or shells are called energy levels.
2) while revolving in these discrete orbits the electrons do not radiate energy
and this helps that the electrons do not crash into the nucleus.
3) these orbits or shells are represented by K, L, M, N,......, or the numbers 1, 2, 3,
....... This model could not predict the spectra of atoms.
Hence this journey continues….
Observation :- I observed that , John Dalton proposed atomic theory based
on conservation of mass and constant proportion, asserting indivisible,
identical atoms. Goldstein's discovery of canal rays challenged this, leading to
Thomson's plum pudding model. Rutherford's nucleus model emerged from
alpha particle scattering, but lacked stability. Bohr's model introduced discrete
electron orbits, yet faced spectral prediction limitations. The evolution of
atomic models continues.