Outline of Chemistry - Atomic Theory

Atomic Theory

The Atomic Model Timeline

  • The idea of what an atom is has changed over time.
  • Different scientists and their discoveries have led to the development of the current model of an atom.
  • Other examples include:
    • The solar system (BIG made SMALL)
    • The biological cell (SMALL made BIG)

The Democritus Model

  • A Greek philosopher
  • He conceived the idea of the atom to describe matter.
  • Atom comes from the word atomos which means "indivisible".
  • He believed that matter was finite (had a limit)
  • He believed the smallest piece of matter was an indestructible and indivisible particle which he called the "atom".

The John Dalton Model

J.J. Thompson: The Plum Pudding Model

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Famous quotes containing the words atomic and/or theory:

    When you see something that is technically sweet, you go ahead and do it and you argue about what to do about it only after you have had your technical success. That is the way it was with the atomic bomb.
    J. Robert Oppenheimer (1904–1967)

    Everything to which we concede existence is a posit from the standpoint of a description of the theory-building process, and simultaneously real from the standpoint of the theory that is being built. Nor let us look down on the standpoint of the theory as make-believe; for we can never do better than occupy the standpoint of some theory or other, the best we can muster at the time.
    Willard Van Orman Quine (b. 1908)