The History of the Atom Flashcards
Describe what scientists thought an atom was like before the electron was discovered.
Tiny solid spheres that can’t be divided
How did John Dalton describe atoms?
He described them as solid spheres, and said that different spheres made up different elements
Describe the plum pudding model.
A positively charged ‘ball’ with negatively charged electrons in it
Describe Rutherford’s nuclear model.
A small, positively charged nucleus surrounded by a ‘cloud’ of negative electrons
(Exam-style question)
Name the scientist who adapted Rutherford’s nuclear model by suggesting that electrons orbit the nucleus at specific distances.
Niels Bohr
Describe the Bohr model.
Electrons in fixed orbits surrounding a small, positively charged nucleus
(Exam-style question)