Atomic Theory Development
Ever wonder what everything around you is made of? The quest to understand matter began with ancient Greeks like Democritus, who coined the term "atomos" (indivisible), and Aristotle with his five elements theory. These brilliant minds laid groundwork despite having limited tools for investigation.
John Dalton transformed these philosophical ideas into scientific theory, proposing that all matter consists of atoms that cannot be created or destroyed. He suggested that atoms of the same element have identical properties and can exist alone or in compounds. Though his model was simplistic, it sparked scientific revolution.
J.J. Thomson advanced our understanding by discovering electrons using cathode ray tubes. He proposed a "plum pudding" model where negatively charged electrons were embedded in a positive spherical cloud. Robert Millikan's famous oil drop experiment later determined the precise charge of electrons.
Science in Action: Rutherford's gold foil experiment dramatically changed atomic theory when alpha particles unexpectedly bounced back, proving atoms weren't solid spheres but mostly empty space with a concentrated positive nucleus!
Niels Bohr introduced quantum concepts, explaining that electrons orbit at specific energy levels. When electrons move between these levels, they either absorb energy (moving up) or emit energy as light (moving down). These emissions aren't continuous but occur in discrete packets called photons. This quantum understanding of electron behavior forms the foundation of modern atomic theory.