Concepts to Learn

What are the ideas of the Greeks on

the atom?
How did Dalton contribute to the
concept of the atom?
What is an atom and what does it
look like?
How did we come to the
idea that the smallest
particle of any matter is
an atom?
 ORIGIN OF THE
CONCEPT OF THE ATOM
Greek Concepts of the Atom
Modern Development of the
Concept of the Atom
Greek Origins of the
Atomic Idea
Leucippus
Democritus
 Democritus
All matter is
composed of
atom.
Atoms cannot
be divided
further into
smaller
portions.
source: http://www.chemteam.info/AtomicStructure/Greeks.html)
Greek followers Idea on the Atom

Atoms are small, and cannot be

seen.
Atoms are always moving and can
be combined.
Atoms are solid and hard.
Atoms are homogenous (made of
the same material)
Atoms have different sizes, and
shapes.
Atoms are infinite in numbers
 Modern
Development of
the Idea of the
Atom
Daltons Atomic Theory
Daltons Ideas on the Atom
1. Chemical elements are composed of
atoms.
2. Atoms of an element were identical in
weight
3. Atoms of different elements had
different weights.
4. Atoms combined only in small whole-
number ratios to form compounds.
5. Atoms either combine, separate or re-
arrange in a chemical reaction.
How did the scientists know
the physical structure of the
atom?
 Physical Structure of an
Atom
Atoms are the
smallest particle of
an element that
retains the
characteristics of the
element.
Atomic Structure
Development of the
Atomic Models
John Dalton
JJ Thomson
Ernest Rutherford
Niels Bohr
Wave Model
 John Dalton
1803
An atom is hard
and spherical in its
physical
appearance.
It is the smallest,
indivisible particle
of matter.
 JJ Thomson
1897
Plum-pudding
Model
An atom is a positively
charged sphere
studded with negatively
charged electrons.
Cathode-ray Tube
Experiment
Discovered the
electrons
 Ernest Rutherford
1908
Nuclear Model
The atom is mostly
empty space that has a
dense positively charged
center which repels the
positively charged alpha
particles.
Gold Foil Experiment
Discovered the
nucleus
 Niels Bohr
1913
Planetary Model
Electrons move around
in specific orbits
(energy levels) that are
placed at specific
distances from the
nucleus of an atom.
Discovered the
Energy Levels of the
atom
 Wave Model
(Schroedinger)
1926
Electron Cloud
Model/Wave Model
Electrons can only
exist at specific
energy states.
Orbitals the region
around the nucleus
where the electrons
can be found
 Learning Check
Discuss the 2 concepts of the atom
according to Democritus.
Discuss the Greek followers (alchemists)
ideas on the atom.
Explain Daltons 5 postulates on the atom.
Describe an atom and its parts.
Draw on the board the atomic models of
the following scientists: JJ Thomson, Ernest
Rutherford, Niels Bohr, Erwin Schroedinger