Stylised atom with three bohr model orbits and stylised nucleus (white background)

Atomic Theory - Garrett Register

By Garr3tt
  • Democritus (Greek Era)
    510 BCE

    Democritus (Greek Era)

    He adopted the idea from his mentor and came up with own ideas. The atomic theory stated that “The universe is composed of two elements: the atoms and the void in which they exist and move.” According to Democritus atoms were miniscule quantities of matter.
  • Isaac Newton

    Isaac Newton

    He proposed a mechanical universe with small solid masses in motion. Also theorized a mechanical universe with small, solid masses in motion.
  • John Dalton

    John Dalton

    He determined an "atomic theory" with spherical solid atoms based upon measurable properties of mass.
  • Dmitri Mendeleev

    Dmitri Mendeleev

    Arranged elements into 7 groups with similar properties. He discovered that the properties of elements "were periodic functions of the their atomic weights". This became known as the Periodic Law.
  • JJ Thomson

    JJ Thomson

    He used CRT to experimentally determine the charge to mass ratio of an electron , which equals 1.759 x 10 8 coulombs/gram.
  • Marie Curie

    Marie Curie

    Studied uranium and thorium and called their spontaneous decay process "radioactivity". She and her husband Pierre also discovered the radioactive elements polonium and radium.
  • Hans Geiger

    Hans Geiger

    Developed an electrical device to "click" when hit with alpha particles.
  • R.A. Millikan

    R.A. Millikan

    Oil drop experiment determined the charge (e=1.602 x 10 -19 coulomb) and the mass (m = 9.11 x 10 -28 gram) of an electron.
  • Ernest Rutherford

    Ernest Rutherford

    Using alpha particles as atomic bullets, probed the atoms in a piece of thin (0.00006 cm) gold foil . He established that the nucleus was: very dense,very small and positively charged. He also assumed that the electrons were located outside the nucleus.
  • H.G Moseley

    H.G Moseley

    Using x-ray tubes, determined the charges on the nuclei of most atoms. He wrote"The atomic number of an element is equal to the number of protons in the nucleus". This work was used to reorganize the periodic table based upon atomic number instead of atomic mass.
  • Niels Bohr

    Niels Bohr

    Developed an explanation of atomic structure that underlies regularities of the periodic table of elements. His atomic model had atoms built up of sucessive orbital shells of electrons.
  • Heisenberg

    Heisenberg

    He determined you can not know both the position and velocity of a particle.
  • James Chadwick

    James Chadwick

    Using alpha particles discovered a neutral atomic particle with a mass close to a proton. Thus was discovered the neutron.
  • Lise Meitner

    Lise Meitner

    Conducted experiments verifying that heavy elements capture neutrons and form unstable products which undergo fission. This process ejects more neutrons continuing the fission chain reaction.