1. Layne Foster Braydon Ferguson Claire Penrod
J.J. Thomson
Layne Foster
Braydon Ferguson
Claire Penrod

2. Life
J.J Thomson was born on December 18th, 1856 in Cheetham, England. As a well known Physicist and scientist, Thomson is most memorable for his contribution to the atomic theory. He also won a Nobel prize for his research leading to the discovery of electrons.

3. Education Background
Enrolled in Owens College, Manchester, in 1870 and Trinity College, Cambridge in 1876
While at Trinity College, he became a lecturer (1883), and a master (1918)
He became a Cavendish Professor of Experimental Physics and Honorary Professor of Physics at Cambridge and the Royal Institution in London.

4. Contribution
As you already know, J.J Thomson’s research led to the discovery of the electron, but do you know how? It began in 1894 when Thomson started studying cathode ray. After all, it was a very popular research topic considering how they worked at the time was very unclear. Thomson created better equipment as well as methods that topped previous ones. He discovered that all mater is made up of tiny particles which are much smaller than atoms. He named these particles “corpuscles”, which are now known as electrons.

5. What is the cathode ray?
One of Thomson’s most famous experiments was his Cathode Ray experiment. The cathode ray is a ray of light that follows an electrical discharge in a vacuum tube which produces electrons. The electrons are what give off the neon-like color. His Cathode Ray experiment took place in 1897 and was a major scientific breakthrough, leading to his theory on atoms. He conducted three experiments, in order to discover the electron. Some examples of Cathode Ray’s are neon signs and “old fashioned” TV’s.

6. Experiment 1
In Thomson’s first experiment, he built the Cathode Ray tube by putting a metal cylinder on one end of the glass tube. The metal cylinder had 2 slits that lead to the electrometers. He, then, applied a magnetic field across the tube which deflected the charge. He discovered that the negative charge and the rays were intertwined.

7. Experiment 2
In the second experiment, Thomson built a glass tube with a fluorescent coating on one end with a vacuum. He put 2 electrical plates in the middle of the tube which produced a positive anode and a negative cathode that deflected the rays. He discovered that the rays were made up of negatively charged particles.

8. Experiment 3
In Thomson’s third, and final, experiment he worked out the makeup of the particles. He discovered that the particles either carried a huge charge, or were 1000 times smaller than a hydrogen ion. He also discovered that Cathode Rays are made up of particles originating from atoms.

9. References
Joseph John Thomson. (2014). The Biography.com website. Retrieved 12:43, Sep 10, 2014, from thomson
Joseph John Thomson. (2014). The Nobelprize.org website. Retrieved 12:47, Sep 9, 2014, from
Joseph John Thomson. (2014). The Chemherritage.org website. Retrieved 12:54, Sep 9, from
Modern Chemistry. (2006). Austin TX: Holt Rinehart and Winston
Joseph John Thomson. (2014). The Outreach.phy.com website. Retrieved 12:49, Sep 10, from outreach.phy.cam.ac.uk/camphy/electron/electron_index.htm