Models of the Atom SCH4C September 2017
Democritus 400 BC Atom = indivisible = smallest unit of matter
John Dalton 1800
J. J. Thomson 1897
1897 Thomson discovers that atoms contain negatively charged particles called electrons
Thomson’s Model of the Atom
Nagaoka’s Model 1904
Ernest Rutherford 1911
1918 Rutherford discovers that atoms contain positively charged particles called protons
Neils Bohr 1922
Recall from grade 10: Light travels in waves – some we see, some we can’t
Each wavelength we see as a unique colour Each wavelength has a different amount of energy
White Light: when passed through a prism we see every colour of light possible (continuous spectrum)
Bohr’s Model: Electrons exists in orbits called energy levels Bohr’s Model: Electrons exists in orbits called energy levels. Energy levels are labelled as n=1 (the first energy level), n = 2 etc.
Bohr proposed that: When atoms were given energy (heated up or has electricity pass through them) the electrons gained energy and moved up to higher energy levels (excited state) When electrons returned to their original energy level (ground state), they released energy
We see the energy released as different colours We see the energy released as different colours. This is unique for each element and therefore a good way to identify an element.
Spectra produced by different elements (line spectra)