Modern Atomic Theory

modern atomic theory
Modern atomic theory is a theory that explains the behavior of atoms. But it is not a theory
that has been built quickly, since it has more than two centuries of history, passing through the
Greek philosophers and reaching high-tech experiments.
Principle of modern atomic theory
All matter is made of atoms, which cannot be destroyed or created.
Atoms are made of electrons, protons and neutrons, it is not indivisible but it is the smallest
particle that takes part in chemical reactions.
The atoms of an element can have variable masses, these are called isotopes.
Atoms of different elements can have the same mass number. They are called isobars.
The origin of atomic theory
It is said that it was Leucippus and Democritus who first put forward the idea that everything is
made of small particles, known as atoms, in the 5th century BC. This idea was supported by
some, but firmly dismissed by others such as Aristotle. During the Middle Ages and the
Catholic reign, life was greatly influenced by the ideas of Aristotle, so the topic of atoms was
not touched upon again. However, the conception of the atom remained alive and regained its
hold during the Renaissance.
History of modern atomic theory
Modern atomic theory begins with John Dalton, an English chemist and meteorologist who in
1808 published a book that explains his theory of atoms under some principles: chemical
elements are made up of atoms, and these in turn are identical in weight. , although those of
different elements have different weights. Although these ideas were not new, their
importance came from discovering a way to obtain atomic weight, and he was also the first to
propose standard symbols for the elements. His work focused on the chemical structure of
atoms to join together, and not so much on their internal structure.
However, the modern theory on the physical structure of atoms began with the discovery of
the electron in 1897 by J.J. Thomson. Although the electron had already been used as a word
to define anything with an electric current, he was the first to say that it is an important part of
the atom.
He also attempted to show where the electrons are in the atom, saying that the atom was a
positively charged sphere surrounded by negatively charged electrons. Ernest Rutherford's
1991 experiments with alpha rays led to the idea that the atom had a small nucleus charged
with electrons in orbit, and this model is accepted today.
In 1913, Niels Bohr, a Danish physicist, proposed that electrons only moved in restricted,
successive orbital shells, and that the outer, higher-energy orbits determined the chemical
properties of elements. He also explained that electrons jump from orbits of higher energy to
others of lower energy, so that they emit energy.
In 1919, Rutherford discovered the proton, which carries a single positive charge and is found
in the nucleus of atoms. And he proposed the existence of a neutron, although the actual
discovery was made by James Chadwick a year later.
de Broglie relation
It is one that allows us to calculate the wavelength associated with a particle, from its linear
momentum p, that is, its mass multiplied by its speed. Through this relationship, it is
established that the macroscopic particles of our apparent world have a wavelength that is too
small to be perceptible, and therefore the wave-particle duality inherent to the quantum world
is not observed in classical physics.
Our intuition of what is “logical” behavior of a particle is thus biased by our experience.
However, for objects of smaller mass such as the electron, this wavelength is appreciable, and
therefore, particles of very small mass require a quantum-mechanical treatment that considers
the wave-particle duality for their correct understanding.
The demonstration of the existence of waves associated with matter was carried out through
the experiments of Davidsson and Germer, who managed to observe the diffraction of
electrons by passing a beam of these particles through a crystal of Nickel atoms.
Heisenberg's uncertainty principle
It tells us that the simple act of observing a subatomic particle, such as an electron, will alter its
state. This phenomenon will prevent us from knowing exactly where it is and how it moves.
Likewise, this theory of the quantum universe can also be applied to the macroscopic world to
understand how unexpected our reality can be.
It is often said that life would be very boring if we could predict exactly what is going to
happen at any given moment. Werner Heisenberg was precisely the first person to
demonstrate this to us scientifically. What's more, thanks to him we learned that in the
microscopic fabric of quantum particles everything is intrinsically uncertain. As much or more
than in our own reality.
This scientist's theory showed us that classical physics was not as predictable as we always
believed. He made us see that at a subatomic level, it is impossible to know at the same
moment where a particle is, how it moves and what its speed is. To understand it better we
will give an example.
-When we drive a car, it is enough to look at the odometer to know how fast we are going.
Likewise, we are also clear about our position and direction while we are driving. We speak in
macroscopic terms and without seeking great precision.
-Now, in the quantum world this does not happen. Microscopic particles do not have a specific
position or a single direction. In fact, they can go to infinite places at the same time. How then
can we measure or describe the movement of an electron?
-Heisenberg showed that to locate an electron in space the most common thing was to bounce
photons off it.
-Now, with this action what was actually achieved was to completely alter that element, with
which a precise and accurate observation could never be carried out. It's as if we had to brake
the car to measure the speed.
The real applications of this principle are many. This is a theory that occurs practically every
day in physics laboratories, and is at the basis of all technologies that use the microscopic
properties of matter, such as computers and mobile phones. Furthermore, thanks to the
Uncertainty Principle we can understand physical phenomena such as what occurs when
atoms and molecules occupy the same space without the risk of collapsing.
Modern concept of the atom
An atom is the smallest quantity of a chemical element that has its own existence and is
considered indivisible. The atom is made up of a nucleus with positively charged protons,
uncharged neutrons, and several negatively charged orbital electrons, the number of which
varies depending on the chemical element.
However, in addition to the elements that make it up, it is important to emphasize that every
atom has a series of properties that are essential to take into account when working with it. In
this case, we find the fact that they are the size, the mass, the electrical interactions
established between electrons and protons or the energy levels.
The atom is also called the fundamental particle, thanks to its characteristic of not being able
to be divided by chemical processes. Starting in the 16th and 17th centuries, with the
development of chemistry, atomic theory began to advance with certainties that, until then,
were impossible to obtain.
Chemists managed to discover that any liquid, gas or solid could be decomposed into different
elements or ultimate constituents (for example, each water molecule is made up of two
hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom: H2O). John Dalton was the one who demonstrated that
atoms joined together according to certain defined proportions.
However, there have also been other authors who, in a profound and intense way, have left
their mark on the study and analysis of atoms. This would be the case, for example, of the
British scientist Joseph John Thomson. He went down in history not only as the inventor of the
mass spectrometer but also as the discoverer of two fundamental elements: isotopes and the
electron.
The New Zealand physicist Ernest Rutherford, the Danish Niels Bohr and the Frenchman Louis-
Victor de Broglie are other scientists who, throughout history, have developed their own
atomic theories and models with more or less success and acceptance by the scientific
community. In this case it is important to highlight the role of the last physicist mentioned
since in 1929 he obtained the Nobel Prize for having managed to discover the wave nature of
what the electron is.

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modern atomic theory

Principle of modern atomic theory

All matter is made of atoms, which cannot be destroyed or created.

The origin of atomic theory

History of modern atomic theory

Heisenberg's uncertainty principle

Modern concept of the atom

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