Greek philosophers Democritus and

Leucippus developed the idea that all

matter is composed of tiny, indivisible
particles called atoms. However, their
atomic theory was based only on
assumptions. It was not until the early
1800s that experiments were performed to
develop models for the structure of the
atom.
 JOHN DALTON

In 1803, John Dalton, a British scientist, did

experiments on mixtures of gases. He studied how the
properties of individual gases affect the properties of
the mixtures of these gases. He developed the
hypothesis that the sizes of the particles making up
different gases must be different.
JOHN DALTON

After several experiments, he concluded that all

matter is composed of spherical atoms, which
cannot be broken down into smaller pieces. He
added that all atoms of one element are identical
to each other but different from the atoms of
another element.
Discovery of the Subatomic Particles

The Electrons in the Plum Pudding Model

In 1897, Joseph John Thomson, a British physicist,

proposed an atomic model known as the plum
pudding model. His model consisted of negatively
charged particles (plum) spread evenly throughout
the positively charged material (pudding). The small,
negatively charged particles are called electrons.
The Protons in the Planetary Model

In the early 1900s, Ernest Rutherford, a New Zealand-

born physicist, established the planetary model which
described the atom as small, dense, and has a
positively charged core called the nucleus. Inside the
nucleus are positively charged particles called
the protons. The nucleus is surrounded by negatively
charged particles or electrons. The electrostatic
attraction between electrons and nucleus mimics the
gravitational force of attraction between planets and
the sun.
The Neutrons

In 1923, James Chadwick proved the existence of

the neutron, which is also situated in the nucleus
together with the proton. It has the same mass as
the proton but unlike the latter, it has no electric
charge.
Recent Atomic Models
Bohr’s Atomic Model
Rutherford’s model showed that the electrons and
nucleus have opposite charges which according to the
laws of physics, will attract each other. Thus, Rutherford's
model would have electrons collapsing into the nucleus,
making the atom unstable. Niels Bohr solved this problem
by proposing that the electrons orbit around the nucleus
in set energy levels. An electron absorbs energy if it
moves from lower to higher energy level, and it emits
energy if it returns to the lower energy level.
Quantum Mechanical Model
The quantum mechanical model of the atom states
that a nucleus is surrounded by a cloud of electrons
called orbitals. It explains that it is impossible to
determine the exact location of the electron at a
given time, but one can find its probable location. It
incorporates the concept of Bohr’s model where the
electrons move in one orbital to another by absorbing
or emitting energy.
Key Points
John Dalton described the atom as spherical.

Joseph John Thomson discovered the electron.

Ernest Rutherford proposed that the electrons orbit
around the nucleus. He, together with his students,
discovered the proton.
Niels Bohr proposed that electrons orbit around the
nucleus in set energy levels.
James Chadwick discovered the neutron.
Niels Bohr proposed that the electrons orbit around
the nucleus in set energy levels.
In the quantum mechanical model, the nucleus is
surrounded by a cloud of electrons called orbitals.