The Atomic Theory is simply a theory of the structure, properties, and behavior of the atom. It is the collection of data over time developing a general idea about the atom. Listed below are some of the scientists responsible for the creation of the Atomic Theory.
Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac was born on December 6, 1778 and died In December of 1860. During his time he was educated privately and conducted his first major experiments only at age 24. He used balances, laboratory burners, and records. His work was done at home with his mentor, making his social life non-existent. He discovered Thermal Expansion. .
Thompson, Becquerel, and Rutherford all worked in the same time period. Thompson's work was on the electron. He was the first to actually discover the electron. He also discovered the mass to charge ration. He discovered the electron in 1897-1899. Becquerel was a French physicist and won the Nobel Prize in 1903 for his discovery of radiation in 1896. He also decided that the atom was not a solid. Rutherford detected single particles emitted by radioactive atoms. He was also the first to discover an object smaller than an atom, he discovered alpha and beta rays, converted nitrogen atoms into oxygen atoms, was the first to split an atom, and he discovered that the proton did indeed have a charge and he realized that it was found in the nucleus of the atom. .
Robert Millikan conducted experiments using a brass chamber. It was an oil drop experiment that which he received the Nobel Prize in 1923. He was responsible for determining the charge of electrons. .
With all these scientists working together and the information they have been able to gather over the years is what developed the atomic theory. It was not all decided on one person it was over time and through out a wide variety of people that the atomic theory came about. Each scientist contributed their part to it whether it be big or small, they have left a mark in history.
