Atomic Model Timeline
Atomic Model Timeline
Atomic Model Timeline
400 BC
John Dalton
1803
JJ Thomson
1897
•Discovered electron
•"plum pudding" model
---the atom was positive and there were negative forces wandering around it
-discovered atoms of the same element but different atomic weight
Nov 1, 1909
Ernest Marsden
Ernest Marsden
What: He discovered the existence of the atomic nucleus. How: He discovered this by using the Gold Foil
Experiment or the Rutherford Experiment.
Rutherford
1909
(Thought Thomson was wrong)
•thought of an atom having a positive nucleus with negative electrons surrounding it
•Atom was mostly empty
- Came to this conclusion through the "Gold Foil Experiment"
-Had particles pass through gold foil with detective screen surrounding them
-The particles that didn't pass made him come to the conclusion that most of the atom is empty
space
-Flaws: thought electrons contained charges that are accelerating
Niels Bohr
1913
•decided to make a new model based off of Rutherford's model, but changed the orbit of the electron
•created energy levels in the atom, where only a certain amount of electrons could fit on one energy
level of the atom
•used Planck's ideas in order to create quantum mechanics
Erwin Schrödinger
What: He generated a mathematical model for the distribution of electrons in an atom. How: He
combined the equations for the behavior of waves with the Louis de Broglie equation
James Chadwick
1932
Democritus
Democritus
What: He created the first atomic model. How: His model of the atom depended on analogies from
human senses.
First person to propose the "ultimate particle"
J.J. Thomson
What: He discovered the Plum Pudding Model of the atom. How: In J.J.'s model, the atom is
composed of electrons surrounded by an area of positive charges to balance out the negative
charge
Oct 29, 1904
Hantaro Nagaoka
What: Nagaoka developed an early, incorrect "planetary model" of the atom. How: The model
was based on the stability of Saturn's rings.
Nov 1, 1909
Ernest Marsden
What: He discovered the existence of the atomic nucleus. How: He discovered this by using the
Gold Foil Experiment or the Rutherford Experiment.
Oct 31, 1911
Ernest Rutherford
What: Theorized that atoms have their positive charge concentrated in a very small nucleus.
How: He pioneered the Rutherford model of the atom, with his discovery and interpretation of
Rutherford scattering in his gold foil experiment.
Oct 31, 1913
Niels Bohr
What: Presented a picture of an atomic structure. How: He passed on to a study of the structure
of atoms based on Rutherford's discovery of the atomic nucleus. (This lead him to the picture of
his atom.)
Erwin Schrödinger
What: He generated a mathematical model for the distribution of electrons in an atom. How: He
combined the equations for the behavior of waves with the Louis de Broglie equation.
James Chadwick
What: He proved the existence of neutrons. How: He heard of a new method of detecting
particles emitted by radioactive elements developed by Irene Joliot-Curie.