Scientific Method of Atomic Theory Discoveries
When we approach scientific discovery there is a specific
method we use to explore the questions we have when we
make an observation.
A question that arises from our observations can be used to
create a hypothesis. This is proposed explanation for the
observation that was made.
To verify weather or not this proposed explanation is true,
an experiment must be done and data must be collected
and analyzed. The analysis of the data will either prove the
hypothesis or disprove the hypothesis. This data can be either qualitative or quantitative,
however, quantitative data is better proof as it can be measured and reproduced.
If a hypothesis is disproved then a new proposed explanation must be put forward,
however if the hypothesis is proved by all experimentation it becomes a theory.
As technology advances, theories can also be tested and found to be incorrect. In this case
a new hypothesis must be created and tested. Throughout the history of science there
have been many hypothesis about the atom and what it consists of. Many were thought to
have been proven right, but increased technology and more advanced experimentation
showed they were wrong. You will now investigate the scientific method of the past and
see what happens as the scientific method is used throughout history.
Democritus
List the statements that Democritus made:
1. Matter is composed of
4. The different sizes and shapes
2. Atoms are
5. Changes in matter are due to
3. Different kinds of atoms have
Did Democritus experiment to find out if any of these statements were true?
Why shouldn't Democritus' list of
statements be called a theory?
What term did Democritus use and
what did it mean?
What other "theory" was put forward
at this time?
Alchemy & Early Chemistry
The beginning of the true use of the scientific method comes from the Alchemists
once they established reproducible experimentation. Yep... the key to
experimentation in the scientific method is reproducibility. This means they had to
create tools, equipment and measurement systems that could be used across the
sciences so that any result they had could be reproduced on a larger scale. This lead
to the beginning of Chemistry during the 18th century using quantitative methods.
What does the word qualitative mean?
How does it apply to the scientific
method?
What does the word quantitative
mean? How does it apply to the
scientific method?
What was the new evidence found by Alchemists that caused Aristotle's "theory" to
be considered inaccurate? What is the next step in the scientific method when a
theory is found to be incorrect?
Dalton
After he made many observations, Dalton made hypothesis. What did he discover
from his experiments?
Once the experimentation was complete he proved his hypothesis. What are the 5
statements of Dalton's Atomic Theory?
1. All matter is made of
2. Atoms of a given element are
4. Atoms combine in
5. In chemical reactions,
3. Atoms cannot be
Draw the model of the atom theorized by Dalton in 1803:
JJ Thompson
What did JJ Thompson observe in order to make his hypotheses?
What were JJ Thompson's 3 hypotheses?
1.
2.
3.
What new evidence did Thompson find which disproved Dalton's atomic model?
List the things known about atomic structure in 1890 which had to be part of the
model of the atom:
Draw the new model of the atom theorized by JJ Thompson in 1890:
Ernest Rutherford
Interestingly, Rutherford's famous discovery comes from a hypothesis being
completely wrong!
What did he hypothesize?
What was the actual result of his experiment?
What did he discover through this experiment?
Do you think his experiment failed or was it successful? Discuss this idea in 2-3
sentences:
What new evidence did Rutherford find when he disproved Rutherford's model?
List the things known about atomic structure in 1920 which had to be part of the
model of the atom:
Neils Bohr
What new evidence did Bohr find?
What particle was this discovery
about?
What does quantized mean?
Did this change any of the theories
about the other subatomic particles?
After Bohr's experimentation, list all of
the evidence known about atomic
structure
Draw Bohr's model of the atom
James Chadwick
What did Chadwick shoot at beryllium
foil?
What happened to Hans Geiger in
Germany?
What did this do?
What was the Manhattan project?
What are the two pieces of evidence
that describe the neutron?
Schrodinger
What is Schrodinger's model based on?
Finish this sentence: we cannot know
where an electron is but
What is the new evidence that
Schrodinger used to create his model?
Where are electrons found in
Schrodinger's model
What is Schrodinger's model called?
.