Lesson 4.
ATOMIC STRUCTURE
Discussion:
Early theories of the Atom
The concept of the atom started with the ancient Greeks 2500 years ago. Leucippus and Democritus
believed that all matter in nature consisted of two things: atoms and the void (emptiness) around them. They thought
that atoms are already indivisible and indestructible because these are very small. Moreover, Democritus believed
that atoms are solid with no empty spaces within them, just like small marbles. They also believed that different
atoms have different shapes and sizes. Democritus thought that matter, such as rock, can be pounded and grinded
into very small grains. This process can be repeated until you reached a point wherein a certain grain cannot be
grounded into a smaller grain. He named this very small piece of matter atomos, which means “indestructible
particle”.
John Dalton’s Atomic Theory
In 1803, John Dalton proposed his theory of the atom. His atomic theory explained the existing laws and
principles about the concept of chemical combination. It was also based from the works of earlier scientists. He is
regarded as the “father of the modern atomic theory”. His atomic theory states the following:
- Matter is made up of very small, invisible, and indivisible particles called atoms.
- Atoms of the same element have the same properties. Atoms of different elements differ in properties.
- Atoms cannot be created nor destroyed in any chemical reaction.
- Atoms combine with each other in whole number ratios to produce compounds.
THE DIFFERENT MODELS OF THE ATOM
Plum Pudding Model
In 1897, Sir Joseph John Thomson discovered the electrons
through an experiment that made use of a cathode ray tube.
Electrons is one of the subatomic particles of an atom and
it is negatively charge. He also proposed the plum pudding model.
He believed that the atom was a large, positive, solid sphere. The
negatively charged electrons were embedded in the positively
charged sphere. The positive charges around the sphere would
spread out as much as possible while the electrons(plum) will be
distributed around the positive atoms (pudding) evenly.
Rutherford’s Nuclear Model
In the early 1900s, Ernest Rutherford discovered nucleus and
protons through the alpha scattering experiment or thin gold foil
experiment.
Nucleus is the small dense region consisting of protons and
neutrons at the center. Protons the positively charged particle in the
nucleus. He also proposed the Nuclear Model or also known as the
Planetary Model of the Atom. He concluded that the atom was made
up of a very dense and positively charged nucleus surrounded by
free moving electrons.
After that, James Chadwick discovered a neutral particle (no net electrical charge) inside the nucleus and
called this particle neutron.
Bohr’s Model of the Atom
In Bohr’s model of the atom, there are particular orbits or
predetermined locations in which the electron can move without losing energy.
He called this location the electrons’ energy levels. Where electrons can move
from one energy level to another by absorbing or releasing energy.
Niels Bohr developed a model of the atom in which electrons orbit the
nucleus in specific, quantized energy levels. This model explained the spectral
lines of hydrogen and introduced the concept of quantized orbits.
The Quantum Mechanical Model
Werner Heisenberg and Erwin Schrödinger formulated the quantized
energy levels of atoms. The quantum mechanical model explained how electrons
existed in atoms and how those electrons determined the chemical and physical
properties of elements. This model of the atom made use of electron clouds as
probable position of the electrons instead of Bohr’s circular orbit.
He also developed the Schrödinger equation, a fundamental equation in
quantum mechanics that describes how the quantum state of a physical system
changes over time. His work introduced the concept of wave-particle duality and
helped lay the foundation for the modern understanding of atomic and subatomic particles. Schrödinger also
proposed the famous thought experiment known as "Schrödinger's cat," illustrating the strange nature of quantum
superposition.
Activity 1
“Charge” it to experience!
I. Objectives:
After performing this activity, you should be able to:
1. observe that objects may attract or repel each other,
2. infer that object may carry positive and negative charges, and
3. deduce that neutral objects contain positive and negative charges.
II. Materials Needed:
Plastic comb, paper
III. Procedure:
(Answer the questions that follows each procedure on your activity notebook.)
1. Tear off several bits of paper about the size a pea or smaller and place them on a table or counter.
2. Bring the comb near to the paper bits.
Q1. What happened to the bits of paper? __________________
3. Next run the comb through your hair several times and again bring the comb near the bits of paper. Observe.
Q2. What happened with the bits of paper? ____________________
Q3. Based on your observations, did the comb acquire the same charges? Why?
III. Conclusion:
Lesson 5. Atoms and Molecules
Atom, the smallest unit that matter can be broken down into without releasing any electrically charged
particles. Atoms are also the smallest unit of matter that exhibits the characteristic properties of an element. As
such, the atom is the fundamental building block for chemistry.
A molecule can be defined as the combinations of two or more atoms which are held together by chemical
bonds. A molecule is the smallest portion of a substance which showcases all the properties of the substance. On
breaking down a molecule further, we see properties of the constituent elements.
Activity 2
Atoms and Molecules
