The Atom!

Who were the main characters in the development of the atom?

John Dalton, Johannes Hittorf, Sir Joseph John Thompson, James Chadwich, William Conrad Roentgen, Michael Faraday, Robert Millikan, A. van den Broek, Henry Gwyn-Jeffreys Moseley, William Crookes, and Ernst Rutherford

Why were they vital to the development of the atom?

John Dalton created the Atomic Theory. Johannes Hittorf Found out that when a solid was placed between cathode and anode, shadow was cast at the end of test tube away from the cathode. Sir Joseph John Thompson rond cathode rays could be deflected by an electiric field. James Chadwich Proved that neutrons did exsitst. William Conrad Roentgen discovered X-rays. Michael Faraday found Cathode, Metal plate connected to negative end and also Anode which was connected to the positive end. Henry Gwyn-Jeffreys Moseley studied frequencies of an X-rays given off by cathodes. Ernst Rutherford sutdied the absorption of radioactivity. Robert Millikan did the Oil drop experiment. A. Van Den Broek said that a positive charge on atoms shouldnt be compared to their atomic weights it should be compared to the atomic number. William Crookes developed a vacuum pump so he can produce smaller gas pressure on cathode ray tubes.

Why do we consider the atomic theory still a theory?

Theory isnt a law, nor a guess. A theory is saying something that your sure is right and testing it and keep testing it till you get it and make it to a law. Its just been taking longer than relativity. It also applies on the biologival evolution.

What are the new developments?

It started in the late 1700's. the Atomic Theory came into mind aroun 1803 from John Dalton. He said that each kind of element has its own kind of atom. The properties that come with the elements result into their diffrent atoms.

Why does it matter that we understand the structure of the atom?

They matter to us becaus element are all around us and every single one of those elements have thier own atoms. We need to know about atoms because it helps use caculate them easier and even mixed them into compunds or mixtures.