ATOMIC STRUCTURE
lecture 1
FIRST EVIDENCE BASED THEORY
ABOUT EXISTENCE OF ATOM
The first theory was given by
JOHN DALTON in 1808 known
as DALTON’S ATOMIC THEORY.
POSTULATES
• All matter consists of indivisible particles called
atoms.
• Atoms of the same element are similar in shape and
mass, but differ from the atoms of other elements.
• Atoms cannot be created or destroyed.
• Atoms of different elements may combine with each
other in a fixed, simple, whole number ratios to form
compound atoms.
• Atoms of same element can combine in more than
one ratio to form two or more compounds.
• The atom is the smallest unit of matter that can take
part in a chemical reaction.
DRAWBACKS
• The indivisibility of an atom was proved wrong: an atom can be
further subdivided into protons, neutrons and electrons. However
an atom is the smallest particle that takes part in chemical
reactions.
• According to Dalton, the atoms of same element are similar in all
respects. However, atoms of some elements vary in their masses
and densities. These atoms of different masses are called isotopes.
For example, chlorine has two isotopes with mass numbers 35 and
37.
• Dalton also claimed that atoms of different elements are different
in all respects. This has been proven wrong in certain cases: argon
and calcium atoms each have an atomic mass of 40 amu. These
atoms are known as isobars.
• The theory fails to explain the existence of allotropes; it does not
account for differences in properties of charcoal, graphite, diamond.
DISCOVERY OF ELECTRONS
• J. J. Thomson constructed a glass tube which was
partially evacuated i.e. much of the air was
pumped out of the tube. Then he applied a high
electrical voltage between two electrodes at
either end of the tube. He detected that a stream
of particle (ray) was coming out from the
negatively charged electrode (cathode) to
positively charged electrode (anode). This ray is
called cathode ray and the whole construction is
called cathode ray tube.
Pressure reduced to 10 -2
atmosphere
Properties of cathode rays
cathode rays travel in straight line.
Cathode rays are made up of material
particles.
Cathode rays consists of negatively
charged particles i.e., electrons
• The cathode rays start from cathode and move towards the
anode.
• (ii) These rays themselves are not visible but their behaviour
can be observed with the help of certain kind of materials
(fluorescent or phosphorescent) which glow when hit by
them. Television picture tubes are cathode ray tubes and
television pictures result due to fluorescence on the
television screen coated with certain fluorescent or
phosphorescent materials.
• (iii) In the absence of electrical or magnetic field, these rays
travel in straight lines
• (iv) In the presence of electrical or magnetic field, the
behaviour of cathode rays are similar to that expected from
negatively charged particles, suggesting that the cathode rays
consist of negatively charged particles, called electrons.
• (v) The characteristics of cathode rays (electrons) do not
depend upon the material of electrodes and the nature of
the gas present in the cathode ray tube. Thus, we can
conclude that electrons are basic constituent of all the
• Cathode rays produce x-rays when they strike
on surface of hard metal such as tungsten,
copper, molybdenum.
• Cathode rays ionise the gas through which
they pass.
• Cathode rays produce heating effect when
they are made to strike on a metal foil.
