History of the Atom
By: Alyssa Villagomez
Democritus
460 BC - 370 BC in Abdera, Greece
2. What did he contribute to understanding of the atom?
Hypothesized that atoms cannot be destroyed, differ in shape and size, temperature, are always moving and are invisible.
3. How did he find this out?
His mentor originally came up with this theory but he adopted it.
4. Interesting Facts:
- published over 70 books
- born to a wealthy family
- enjoyed travelling
Source: "Democritus." The-History-of-the-Atom-.N.p.,n.d.Web.11Oct.2016
Antoine Lavoisier
2. In 1779, he coined the name oxygen for the element released by mercury oxide
- Died at age 50 by guillotine
- branded a traitor because of involvement with taxation
- found innocent a year after his death
Source: "Home." Famous Scientists.N.p.n.d.Web11Oct.2016.
John Dalton
2. Atomic theory said elements consisted of tiny particles called atoms, everything is made up of atoms.
- 40,000 people attended funeral
- discovered color blindness
-was color blind
Source: "John Dalton." The-History-of-the-Atom-. N.p.n.d. Web 11 Oct. 2016.
J.J. Thomson
2. Pressure of gas, thermal effusion, sketch of chemical theory, theory of quantivalence, valency of elements.
3. Decided he would picture them as a smoke ring and see where math takes him.
- married a physicist
- knighted in 1908
- ashes buried in Westminster Abbey
Source: "Home." Famous Scientists. N.p.,n.d. Web 11 Oct.2016.
Ernest Rutherford
2. Gold foil experiment, fewer alpha particles than expected, explained effect by proposing new model for the atom, replaced plum pudding
3. Found this out by gold foil experiment
- knighted in 1914
- died of intestinal paralysis
- ashes buried at Westminster Abbey
Source: "Home." Famous Scientists. N.p.,n.d. Web 12 Oct. 2016.
Robert Millikan
2. Major success was accurate determination of the charge by an electron, verified Einsteins photoelectric equation
3. used falling drop method
- played tennis
- held honorary doctors degrees at 25 universities
- Commander of the Legion of Honour
Source: "Robert Millikan Biography." Robert A. Millikan - Biographical. N.p.,n.d. Web. 12 Oct. 2016.
Marie Curie
2. began to investigate uranium, named polonium after her home Poland
- Nobel Prize in chemistry and physics
- 2 health institutes
- 1927 Slovay Conference
Source: Marie Curie. "Home." Famous Scientists. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Oct. 2016
James Chadwick
2. Had a thesis concerning atomic numbers and nuclear forces
3. Made variety of attempts in the lab to find particles
- knighted in 1945
- awarded with metal of merit in 1946
- present when the U.S. and UK agreed bomb could be used on Japan
Source: James Chadwick. "Home." Famous Scientists. N.p.,n.d. Web 12 Oct. 2106.
Max Planck
2. Electromagnetic spectrum emitted by hot objects, quantum theory.
3. metal on fire experiment, E=hv
- some personal and scientific records destroyed during air raid in WWII
- musically talented
- 5 children and only 1 outlived him
Source: Max Planck. "Home." Famous Scientists. N.p.,n.d. Web. 12 Oct. 2016.
Albert Einstein
2. Worlds most famous equation: E=mc^2
3. The equation says mass can be converted to energy. A little mass can make a lot of energy
- Nobel Prize in physics
- German and a Jew
- died an American citizen
Source: Albert Einstein. "Home." Famous Scientists. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Oct. 2016
Niels Bohr
2. Work with other scientists findings.
3. He couldn't find a way of bringing quantum theory into the electrons behavior in the atom
- Nobel Prize in physics
- Bohr model
- buried near parents and brother
Source: Niels Bohr. "Home." Famous Scientists. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Oct. 2016
Louis De Broglie
2. The French Academy became aware of his theory of electron waves, it caught Albert Einstein’s attention
3. The theory resolved and offered an explanation to a question that was brought up by calculations of the motion of electrons within the atom.
- won the Kalinga Prize by UNESCO in 1952
- became a foreign member of the British Royal Society
- inspired the birth of wave mechanics.
Source: "Home." Famous Scientists. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Oct. 2016.
Erwin Schrodinger
2. bequeathed to scientific posterity the foundations of the study of wave mechanics
3. Many students are familiar with the mind experiment known as Schrödinger’s Cat.
- relocated many times
- Nobel Prize
- acquired Irish citizenship
Source:"Home." Famous Scientists. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Oct. 2016.
Werner Heisenberg
2. formulated the quantum theory of ferromagnetism, the neutron-proton model of the nucleus, the S-matrix theory in particle scattering, and various other significant breakthroughs
3. Heisenberg wrote more than 600 original research papers, philosophical essays and explanations for general audiences
- stood firmly in Germany during Hitler's Regime
- died of cancer of the kidneys and gall bladder
- Won Nobel Prize at 31 years old