Objectives

The History of Atomic

Structure
AKA: The old, dead guy parade!
CA State Standards: 1h and 1i

To identify the major scientists and
what they contributed to our knowledge
of atomic structure

To describe the evolution of our
understanding of atomic structure

To describe Rutherfords Gold Foil
experiment and what it concluded

Democritus (460 - 370 BC) John Dalton (1766-1844)

Was the first person to come Dalton is the Father of
up with the idea of atom Atomic Theory

Believed that all matter was
composed of indivisible Daltons ideas were so
particles he called ATOMS brilliant that they have

Was he right? Are atoms remained essentially
indivisible??
intact up to the present

He also believed that different
atoms: time and has only been

Are different sizes slightly corrected.

Have different properties

Daltons Atomic Theory (1803) Daltons Atomic Theory (1803)

aka: 5 Postulates
1. All matter is composed of extremely small
particles called atoms. (I agree with Democritus!)
2. All atoms of a given element are
identical, having the same:
- size
- mass
- chemical properties
3. All atoms of different elements are
different. (a Sodium atom is different than
chlorine)
aka: 5 Postulates
4. Atoms cannot be created, divided into
smaller particles, or destroyed.
**In a chemical reaction, atoms of different
elements are separated, joined or rearranged.
They are never changed into the atoms of
another element. We will learn more later**
5. Law of Definite Proportions: Different
atoms combine in simple whole
number ratios to form compounds
(you cant have a of a Carbon bonding with
Oxygen; its a whole atom or no atom)

1
 Daltons TinyAtomic
Solid Ball Model JJ Thomson (1856-1940)
Based on Daltons Atomic Used cathode rays to prove
Theory (5 postulates), most that Daltons Solid-ball model
scientists in the 1800s believed could be broken into smaller
that the atom was like a tiny particles
solid ball that could not be (Sorry Dalton! No more tiny
SOLID balls!)
broken up into parts.
Thomson is credited with
Dalton was credited for the discovering electrons
three Atomic Laws that were Milikan confirmed
proven after his time. Thomsons work with the oil
droplet experiment.

Cathode Ray Tubes Rutherford (1871-1937)

Cathode rays had been used for
Took Thomsons Plum
some time before Thompsons Cathode + Anode - Pudding Model and
experiments.
added to it

Gold Foil Experiment
A cathode ray is a tube that has in 1913 was used to
a piece of metal, called an discover the existence:
electrode, at each end. Each
Protons
electrode is connected to a power

Nucleus
source (battery).

You must be able to
When the power is turned on, the electrodes become explain the Gold Foil
charged and produce a stream of negatively charged Experimentit will be on
particles. They travel from cathode, across the tube to the
the CST
anode.

Gold Foil Experiment Bohr (1885-1962)

Rutherford directed a narrow
Worked in Rutherfords lab
beam of alpha particles (+
Wondered why electrons
charges) at a thin piece of are not attracted to the +
gold foil nucleus and cluster around it

Based on the Plum Pudding
Disproved Thomsons Plum
Model, he predicted that the Pudding Model
+ charges would go through
the foil
Used Rutherfords Planetary

Because the atom overall was Model and Einsteins photon
neutral, he thought the alpha discovery to propose a new
particles would travel straight model
through
Bohr said that electrons travel
at the speed of light.

2
 Bohrs Energy Level Model Bohrs Energy Level Model

Energy Level Model: Electrons He proposed the following:
are arranged in circles around
the nucleus. Each circle has a 1. Protons and neutrons are in the nucleus
different energy.
2. Electrons can only be found at certain
Electrons are in constant distances from the nucleus.
motion, traveling around the
nucleus at the speed of light. 3. The electrons orbit the nucleus at fixed energy
Electrons can jump from one levels.
circle (orbit) to the next 4. The electrons must absorb or emit a fixed
But they are not attracted to amount of energy to travel between these energy
the nucleus they traveling too levels
fast to be fully attracted. Bohrs & Energy Level Model Video

Electron Cloud Model

Bohr thought that electrons traveled in a perfect circle
every revolution. (circumference)
We know that the orbits of electrons are not that perfect.
Electrons have a bit of wobble in their travel, similar to the
path of a runner on a track. Electrons can be anywhere in
their lane. The lanes are called electron clouds.

The Electron Cloud Model improved upon Bohrs model by

using mathematics to determine the position of an electron
in an orbit (lane).
An electron will be found in its cloud about 90% of the
time. The picture above shows all of the places an electron
can be found in an atom.