The Discovery of

the Structure of the

Objective Atom and its
At the end of this Subatomic
lesson, I should be Particles
able to identify the
main ideas in the In the previous
discovery of the lessons, you have
structure of the atom learned that matter
and its subatomic is composed of
particles. atoms.
What is the structure
of the atom?
Greek philosophers Democritus and
Leucippus developed the idea that
all matter is composed of tiny,
indivisible particles called atoms.
However, their atomic theory was
based only on assumptions.
It was not until the early 1800s that
experiments were performed to
develop models for the structure of
the atom.
In 1803, John Dalton, a British
scientist, did experiments on
mixtures of gases.
He studied how the properties of
individual gases affect the
properties of the mixtures of these
gases.
He developed the hypothesis that
the sizes of the particles making up
different gases must be different.
Afterseveral
experiments, he
concluded that all
matter is composed of
spherical atoms,
which cannot be
broken down into
smaller pieces.
• He added that all atoms of one
element are identical to each other
but different from the atoms of
another element.
Discovery
of the
Subatomic
Particles
 The Electrons in the
Plum Pudding Model
In 1897, Joseph John Thomson, a
British physicist, proposed an
atomic model known as the plum
pudding model.
His model consisted of negatively
charged particles (plum) spread
evenly throughout the positively
charged material (pudding).
The small, negatively charged
particles are called electrons.
 The Protons in the
Planetary Model
In the early 1900s, Ernest Rutherford,
a New Zealand-born physicist,
established the planetary model
which described the atom as small,
dense, and has a positively
charged core called the nucleus.
Inside the nucleus are positively
charged particles called the
protons.
The nucleus is surrounded by
negatively charged particles or
electrons. The electrostatic attraction
between electrons and nucleus mimics
the gravitational force of attraction
between planets and the sun.
 The Neutrons
In 1923, James Chadwick proved the
existence of the neutron, which is also
situated in the nucleus together with
the proton. It has the same mass as the
proton but unlike the latter, it has no
electric charge.
Recent
Atomic
Models
 Bohr’s Atomic Model
Rutherford’s model showed that the
electrons and nucleus have opposite
charges which according to the laws of
physics, will attract each other. Thus,
Rutherford's model would have
electrons collapsing into the nucleus,
making the atom unstable.
NielsBohr solved this problem by
proposing that the electrons orbit
around the nucleus in set energy levels.
An electron absorbs energy if it moves
from lower to higher energy level, and it
emits energy if it returns to the lower
energy level.
 Quantum Mechanical Model
The quantum mechanical model of the
atom states that a nucleus is
surrounded by a cloud of electrons
called orbitals.
Itexplains that it is impossible to
determine the exact location of
the electron at a given time, but
one can find its probable
location. It incorporates the
concept of Bohr’s model where
the electrons move in one orbital
to another by absorbing or
emitting energy.
Try it!
Create a timeline on the discovery
of subatomic particles and
development of the atomic theory.
Who are the scientists who had
important contributions in atomic
theory?
Explore!
Look around your house. Try to think
of Bohr’s discovery of energy levels.
What things can you find in your
house that use the same concept
proposed by Bohr?
What do you think?
Based on Bohr's atomic model,
what causes an electron to
move from one orbital to
another?
 Key Points
 John Dalton described the atom as spherical.
 Joseph John Thomson discovered the electron.
 Ernest Rutherford proposed that the electrons
orbit around the nucleus. He, together with his
students, discovered the proton.
 Niels Bohr proposed that electrons orbit around
the nucleus in set energy levels.
 James Chadwick discovered the neutron.
 Niels Bohr proposed that the electrons orbit
around the nucleus in set energy levels.
 In the quantum mechanical model, the nucleus is
surrounded by a cloud of electrons
called orbitals.
 Question 1

It is the basic unit of an element.

A. energy
B. matter
C. atom
D. compound
 Question 2

The following are particles that

make up an atom, except.
A. photon
B. neutron
C. electron
D. proton
 Question 3
He proposed that the electrons
orbit around the nucleus in set
energy levels.
A. Joseph John Thomson
B. Niels Bohr
C. John Dalton
D. Ernest Rutherford
 Question 4
Why is Ernest Rutherford's model called the
planetary model?
A. It is not related to Rutherford's model.
B. The nucleus emits energy that mimics the
emission of solar energy from the Sun.
C. The movement of the subatomic particles
follows the movement of the planets.
D. The electrostatic interaction of electrons
and nucleus mimics the gravitational
force of attraction between planets and
the sun.
 Question 5
Which of the following describes John Dalton's
model?
A. He described the atom as small, dense,
and has a positively charged core called
nucleus.
B. He described the atom as spherical, which
contain different subatomic particles.
C. He described that the atom consists of
negatively charged particles evenly spread
throughout a positively charged material.
D. He described the atom as spherical, which
cannot be broken down into smaller parts.
 Question 6
Which of the following are not true about Bohr’s
model?
A. He proposed that an electron absorbs energy if it
moves from lower to higher energy level, and it
emits energy if it returns to the lower energy level.
B. He proposed that the electrons orbit around the
nucleus set energy levels.
C. He proposed that an electron absorbs energy if it
moves from higher to lower energy level, and it
emits energy if it returns to the higher energy level.
D. He proposed that the nucleus orbits around the
electrons in set energy levels.
 Question 7
Which of the following are true about
the neutrons?
A. The neutron is found on the space
surrounding the nucleus.
B. The neutron is a positively charged
particle.
C. The neutron was proven to exist by
James Chadwick.
D. The neutron is found together with the
protons inside the nucleus.
 Question 8
Which of the following is true about the quantum
mechanical model?
A. This model states that the nucleus is surrounded
by orbits and the only probable location of the
electrons is determined.
B. This model states that the nucleus is surrounded
by orbitals and the only probable location of
the electrons is determined.
C. This model states that the nucleus is surrounded
by orbits and the exact location of the
electrons is determined.
D. This model states that the nucleus is surrounded
by orbitals and the exact location of the
electrons is determined.
 Question 9
Why did Niels Bohr disprove Rutherford's model?
A. Rutherford's model showed that the
electrons freely move within the nucleus.
B. Rutherford's model was based on
assumptions.
C. Rutherford’s model showed that the
electrons and nucleus have opposite
charges; thus, the electrons would collapse
into the nucleus, making the atom unstable.
D. Rutherford's model of the electrons as
negatively charged and the nucleus as
positively charged were inconclusive.
 Question 10
Which of the following are true
about the discovery of subatomic
particles?
A. James Chadwick discovered the
neutron.
B. Niels Bohr discovered the proton
C. Joseph John Thomson discovered
the electron.
D. Ernest Rutherford discovered the
proton in the nucleus.