When do scientific theories change?

Democritus develops the idea of atoms

460 B.C.
he pounded up materials until he had reduced
them to smaller and smaller particles which he called

ATOMA
(greek for indivisible)

Were Democritus tiny particles really undividable?

The Greeks believed

that all matter was made from 4 elements

WRONG
Aristotle (384-322 BC)

Fire is NOT matter! What form of energy is fire?

1803

John Dalton
EXPERIMENTAL OBSERVATIONS

Combined elements to form compounds

Observed that the ratio of elements in a

compound was always the same

element

element oxygen

compound

Magnesium + 10 grams

= magnesium oxide

+ 6.58 grams = 16.58 grams = 1,658 grams

1000 grams + 658 grams

1803

John Dalton
Theory (model)
All matter is made of particles that

cant be divided ATOMS

An ATOM is like a solid sphere

Elements are made of 1 type of atom Compounds contain more than 1 kind

of atom

1897

JJ Thompson
EXPERIMENTAL OBSERVATIONS
Negatively charged beam attracted to a positive plate (magnet)

ELECTRON

Sealed tube filled with gas

1897
Theory (model)

JJ THOMSON

Negative (-) particles are a part of the atom

Since the atom as a whole, is neutral, there must also be positive (+) matter within the atom

Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Model

Chips are negative particles

Ice cream is positive matter

1911 Ernest Rutherford

oversaw Geiger and Marsden carrying out his famous gold foil experiment.

they fired Helium nuclei (also called alpha

particles) at a very, very thin piece of gold foil (only a few atoms thick). They predicted that the alpha particles would pass right through the foil.

1911

Ernest Rutherford

Experimental Observations

They found that most of the alpha particles passed through the foil.

However, about 1 in
10,000 were deflected
http://regentsprep.org/Regents/physics/phys05/catomodel/ruther.htm

1911

Ernest Rutherford
Theory (model) Alpha particle deflection was caused by a dense

Predicted result

nucleus
the positive charge in an

atom are concentrated in

the nucleus
Actual result What do the blue circles on the diagram represent?

1913

Niels Bohr
studied under Rutherford at the
Victoria University in Manchester. Bohr refined Rutherford's idea by adding that the electrons were in orbits.like planets orbiting the sun.
Link to Niels Bohrs paper on Atoms and Molecules
http://dbhs.wvusd.k12.ca.us/webdocs/Chem-History/Bohr/Bohr-1913a.html

Bohr Model

Modified

Bohr Model of a helium atom

proton

Electrons travel around the nucleus like planets around the sun.
shell (energy level)

electron

neutron

What is different about this model compared to the previous slide?

In 1932, James Chadwick confirms the existence of neutrons on in the nucleus of atoms.

1926

Erwin Schrodinger
Schrodingers Cat: a thought experiment. Use mathematics to describe the motion and locations of electrons. Electron Cloud Model of the atom was developed as a result of Schrodingers work with mathematical probability.

Electron Cloud Model

This model shows the probability (likelihood) of finding an electron. The cloud model represents a sort of history of where an electron has been and where it is going. Imagine if the electron left a trace of where it was. The collection of traces would begin to resemble a cloud. Where are we most likely to find an electron within this atom?

Scientific Theory May Change

As scientists have made new observations of matter, their understanding of the atom changed. Scientists must be open to new evidence. A scientific theory does not represent truth but instead our best understanding.

Does the statement above mean that the scientists who have studied the atom were wrong?

MORE ON ATOMS
Actual picture of atoms. Kinda looks like solid spheres from this perspective.

Energy Levels

Electrons that are closer to the nucleus have less energy. When electrons are in their lowest energy levelsthey are in their ground state When an electron absorbs enough energy, it may move to a higher energy levelexcited state

When an electron returns to its ground state light may be released from the atom

Isotopes
The same atoms with different numbers of neutrons.

How can you determine the mass number of an atom?

ATOMIC STRUCTURE

What is the atomic number of the atom shown above?

What is its mass number?

17
35

ATOMIC STRUCTURE

Particle proton neutron electron

Charge + charge No charge - charge

Mass 1 1
1/1837

SUMMARY
1. The Atomic Number of an atom = number of
protons in the nucleus.

2. The Mass Number of an atom = number of

Protons + Neutrons in the nucleus. 3. 4. The number of Protons = Number of Electrons. Electrons orbit the nucleus in shells (levels).

5.

Electrons can move between levels as energy is absorbed or emitted.