Summer Dolezel

-who were the main characters in the development of the atom-

Greek philosophers Leucippus and Democritus were the two main characters in the development of the atom. Also, Bohr was a main character. John Dalton is also an essential character.

Why were they vital to the development of the atom_

They were responsible for the atomic theory. If these men would not have figured out the knowledge of the atom, then we would not know the things that we know today. If they would not have found the structure of the atom, then who knows, people today would try to discover all about it. Leucippus and Democritus thought that there are many different kinds of atoms, each distinct in shape and size and that all atoms move around in space. Surprisingly they did not seem it necessary to give a reason for the motion of atoms, whereby they avoided the sort of logical mistakes that other philosophers had made.

what made them different if anything-

Democritus had exact dates of his life and Leucippus did not. Democritus was more outspoken than Leucippus. I'm pretty sure that Democritus and Leucippus didn't agree on certain things in their configuration of the atom; therefore, this is a difference they had. Bohr's model ultimately needed revision because it failed to explain the nature of atoms more complicated than hydrogen. It took roughly another decade before a new more complete atomic theory was developed - the modern atomic theory.


Think about your lessons in history and discuss how the time period that they lived in determined the outcome of their discovery/ or how it influenced those individuals to be the names that we know today (aka did it matter where they grew up or if they had money?)-

Back then, scientists did not have the modern-day tools like scientists have today nor they do not make nearly as much money as people do today; therefore, this limited them to what they were able to do. It is honestly easier for people to discover "things" today because we have certain technology that helps us. Earlier scientists would have to test over and over again until they got their accountable results. It was way harder back then than it is now.




Why do we consider the atomic theory still a theory?

We consider the atomic theory still a theory because we have not fully proven the way the atom works, and there are so many different theories that it can't be a law.



I would love for you to share new sources here about what you find-

www.iun.edu

http://library.thinkquest.org This is a GREAT website!!!!!





Why does it matter that we understand the structure of the atom-

It is essential for us to understand the atom because we might need it for research one day in our jobs or simply in class for a lab or the TAKS test.