Atomic Theory

Democritus of Abdera (460 – 370 B.C.) Leucippus of Miletus (c.500 B.C.)

Greek scholars who believed that matter could be divided into tiny particles
until such point where it can no longer be divided anymore. They became
the first proponents of the atomic theory.
Their early ideas on atoms are summarized below.

1. All matter is made up of tiny, indivisible particles called

atoms, which come from the Greek word atomos meaning
uncuttable. The atoms are indestructible, impenetrable, and
unchangeable.
2. The atoms make up the universe as they are
continuously moving in a “void” that surrounds them,
repelling each other when they collide, or combining into
clusters.
3. Atoms are completely solid which means that there is no
void or empty space inside that will make them prone to
disintegration or destruction.
4. Atoms are homogeneous in nature. They have no internal
structures.
5. Atoms come in different shapes and sizes.
Ideas that served as arguments against atomism:

1.Anaxagoras

-argued that there was an infinite number of

elementary natural substances in the form of
infinitesimally small particles that combined to
comprise the different things in the universe.

2.Empedocles

-stated that everything is made up of

four eternal and unchanging kinds of
matter, fire, air (all gases), water (all liquids
and metals)
and earth (all solids).
3.Plato

-further expanded Empedocles’ theory by

saying each of the four kinds of matter is
composed of geometrical solids (the
“Platonic solids”) further divisible into
triangles. When rearranged, these triangles
could cause the apparent transformations
between the four basic kinds of matter.

4.Aristotle

-believed that everything in the universe is

made up of the four elements, air, fire,
water, and earth. He stated that believing
in atoms would mean putting restriction on
the gods, who have the power to divide
elements smaller than the atom.
Atomic Theory
• Democritus (440 BCE)-
realized that if you continued
to cut something, eventually
you would end up with
something that couldn’t be
cut anymore, “atomos” –
meaning not able to divide
• Atoms →smallest particle
that an element can be
divided & still be the same
substance
• All matter is made of atoms
John Dalton (1803)
• realized that atoms combine
in very specific proportions
(ratios) based on mass
• all substances are made of
atoms and they cannot be
created, divided or destroyed
(made of a single substance)
• All atoms of the same
element are exactly alike and
different from other elements,
(unique)
• Atoms join with other atoms
to form new substance
J. J. Thomson (1897)
• discovered that there were
small particles inside the
atom, meaning that atoms
can be divided into smaller
substances
• Electrons – negatively
charged particles attracted to
positively charged particles
• Plum pudding model –
electrons are mixed
throughout the atom, soft
blobs of matter
Ernest Rutherford (1909)
• Discovered that an
atom contains a
nucleus with
positively charged
particles and that the
electrons must be
“floating” around the
nucleus
• Most of an atom is
empty space
Niels Bohr (1913)
• Proposed that electron
moved around the
nucleus in energy levels
(shells), but no electrons
between the energy level
(think ladder)
• Electrons can jump from
one level to another
• Travel in a definite path
Modern Atomic Theory
• Erwin Shrodinger &
Werner Heisenberg
• Electrons have no
predictable pattern
and move in a region
where electrons are
likely to be found
called the electron
cloud
Atoms
• All atoms have a nucleus
– protons (+),
– neutrons (no charge)
– electrons (-)
• Same number of protons and electrons→ an
atom has no charge
• More protons (+) than electrons (-) →the atom
has a positive ion form (more positives than negatives)
• More electrons (-) than protons (+) a negative
ion is formed (more negatives than positives)
• 117 different elements that are unique and
all things known to exist come from a
combination of these elements in specific
mass ratios
• Simplest atom is made of one proton, and
1 electron – hydrogen (has no neutrons)
• All additional element will have protons,
neutrons and electrons
• The atomic number of an element is
determined by the number of protons,
– 1 is hydrogen, 6 is carbon, hydrogen has 1
proton, carbon has 6 protons (you cannot
change the number of protons)
• To find neutrons take the mass number
(rounded) and subtract the protons.
Isotopes
• Isotopes have the same number of protons but
additional neutrons which causes the atomic
mass to be different
• Isotopes can be stable (maintain their structure)
and unstable (fall apart over time)
• Unstable isotopes are radioactive and will decay
over time giving off particles and energy
(radioactive)
• Mass number
determines the
isotope, the number
of protons and
neutrons added
together
• Most elements have
isotopes
• All isotopes of an
element have the
exact properties of
the element
• Gravitational force – Forces in
pulls objects toward
each other—depends on atoms
mass and distances
between the objects—
very small force in atoms
• Electromagnetic force ––
proton (+) and electrons
(-) have strong attraction
which keeps the
electrons in motion
around the nucleus of
atoms
• Strong force – force
which keeps protons
from flying apart due
to close distance
between protons and
neutrons
• Weak force – relevant
to radioactive atoms-
allows neutrons to
change into proton
and electron
A HISTORY OF THE ATOMS:
THEORIES AND MODELS
This will show the atomic models and how they developed.