Early theory of matter/ atomic history notes

Is matter continues (infinity divisible) or can you reach a point that it is

indivisible?

400 B.C. Greek thinkers Democritus first used the term atom (from Greek word
meaning indivisible) This idea was lost for many years.

Once believed to be the only four elements (dark ages)

Fire
Water
Air
Earth

1803 A.D. Dalton reinvented the idea of an atom

Dalton’s five ideas/ theory: (still true today?)
1. All matter is composed of tiny particles called atoms.
2. All atoms of the same element are identical and have the same properties.
(size, mass,)
3. Atoms of different elements can combine in simple, whole number ratios
to form compounds.
4. In chemical reactions, atoms are combined, separated or rearranged.
5. Atoms can not be subdivided, created or destroyed.
Dalton used the following laws to support his theory

Law of conservation of mass / matter – mass cannot be created or destroyed in

chemical reactions or physical changes.
reactant  products
AX + BZ  AZ + BX
7g 8g  10g ? g
mass or reactants = 15g
mass of products = 15g

Law of definite proportions – specific substances always contains elements in the

same ratio by mass. NaCl % by mass always 39.3% Na and 60.7% Cl
Law of multiple proportions – the ratio of masses of one element that combine
with a constant mass of another element can be expressed in small whole
numbers.
Discoveries that atoms are made up of smaller parts, subatomic particles
(electrons, protons and neutrons)

J.J Thompson – studied (discovered) electrons in cathode ray tube

Cathode ray tube -- Glass tube with metal plates at the ends called
electrodes
Cathode – negative electrode
Anode – positive electrode

Test and results using tube

1. An object was placed between the electrodes and a shadow was cast
towards the anode. Conclusion: beam coming from the cathode to the
anode. Thus the name cathode ray tube
2. A paddle wheel between the electrodes rolled towards the anode.
Conclusion: must be a particle with mass in beam to move wheel.
3. A magnetic field was placed near beam and it bent way from the negative
charge and towards the positive charge. Conclusion: particles in beam
have negative charge.

Robert Millikan using his “oil drop experiment” was able to determine an
accurate measurement of an electrons charge.

The mass of electron is about 1 / 2000 (9.109 x 10-28g) the mass of the hydrogen
The charge of an electron is the smallest possible negative electric charge
assigned -1

Two inference:
1) If there were negative particles there must be some positive stuff because
atoms did not have an overall charge.
2) Since electrons mass is so much smaller than the mass of an atom, atoms
must contain other particles that account for most of their mass.

An early model of an atom to try to explain this:

Plum pudding theory (watermelon theory)– a positively charged mass with
electrons throughout it. (Like raisins in pudding) This was not correct
Lord Rutherford gold foil experiment
A beam of positively charged particles was shot at a piece of very thin foil. Most
of the particles went through without changing direction, but some were deflected
off on angles and some (1 in 8000) back wards.

Conclusion: atoms have a very small positive dense center core that makes up
almost all of the mass an atom. we call this the nucleus.

Atomic nucleus – very small very dense center core of atoms, makes up most of
the atoms mass.

The majority of an atom is empty space.

see other examples

Protons were discovered

However adding up the mass of p+ and e- did not account for the total mass of an
atom. What was missing?

Neutron – a neutral partial found in the nucleus of atom have about the same
mass as a proton. – Discovered by James Chadwick (worked with Rutherord)

Electrons very small compared to protons and neutron

e- = 9.110 x 10-28 g
p+ = 1.673 x 10-24 g
no = 1.675 x 10-24 g

Nuclear force (strong force) – The short range forces that hold the nuclear particles together.