5 scientific models that explain the structure of the atom
Answer (1)
1. Dalton’s Atomic Model (Early 1800s)Proposed by John Dalton, this was the first modern atomic theory. Dalton described atoms as solid, indivisible spheres that make up elements and form compounds by combination. It treated atoms as the smallest, indivisible particles of matter.2. Thomson’s Plum Pudding Model (1904)J.J. Thomson discovered the electron and proposed that atoms are spheres of positive charge with electrons embedded inside like "plums in a pudding." This model introduced the concept of internal structure, showing atoms are not indivisible.3. Rutherford’s Nuclear Model (1911)Ernest Rutherford’s gold foil experiment showed that atoms have a dense, positively charged nucleus at the center, with electrons orbiting around it. The atom is mostly empty space.4. Bohr’s Model (1913)Niels Bohr improved on Rutherford’s model by proposing that electrons orbit the nucleus in fixed energy levels or shells. This explained atomic emission spectra and introduced quantized electron energies.5. Quantum Mechanical Model (1926 onward)Based on Schrödinger’s wave equations and later developments, this model describes electrons not as particles in fixed orbits but as wave-like entities in probabilistic orbitals or clouds. It gives a more accurate prediction of atomic behavior and electron locations.
