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Robert Boyle
Robert Boyle was born in 1627 and died in 1691. Robert in 1655 moved to Oxford where he was involved in a group of natural philosophers. Robert Hooke who was involved in this group of natural philosophers influenced and helped Boyle with his experiments. While Hooke and Boyle worked together they were able to invent and develop the air pump. Robert was the first to use the term element to define matter. Boyle’s discovery changed our view of atoms as he led scientist into modern chemistry. -
Isaac Newton
Isaac Newton was born in 1642 and died in 1727. Isaac studied mathematics at Cambridge. He was influenced a lot by Euclid and also Baconian and Cartesian philosophies. Isaac had to leave Cambridge due to the plague and it was at this time when Isaac made his most substantial discoveries. Isaac planned a motorized world using small, solid masses in motion. This discovery changed the way we look at atoms as it updated our modern insight on atoms, and interatomic forces. -
John Dalton
John Dalton was born in 1766 and died in 1837. French chemist Antoine Lavoisier influenced Dalton to continue further research on atoms. Dalton found that there is a point where matter could not be broken down into anything smaller. John Dalton’ also recognized the different laws of chemical combination. He also offered reasonable descriptions of various theory concepts, which led the way into a new field of experimenst. -
Michael Faraday
Michael Faraday was born in 1791 and died in 1867. Michael was really interested in an article on electricity he read in the Encyclopedia Britannica. This book inspired him to conduct, several home prepared scientific experiments. Michael studied and learnt the effect of electricity on solutions. He defined ‘electrolysis” as a splitting of molecules. Michael’s discovery changed our view of the atom as he established the idea that electrical forces held together atoms. -
J. Plucker
J. Plucker was born in 1801 and died in 1868. Julius Plucker originally was studying geometry, but was then influenced by mathematician Jakob Steiner to do further study on physics. J. Plucker built one of the first ever gas release tubes. This tube invented is known as the “cathode ray tube”. J. Plucker carried out an experiment using these tubes and it caused the gas inside the tube to glow proving to scientist that there was an electrical charge occuring. -
De Brogile
De Brogile was born in 1801 and died in 1868. He was inspired by David Bohm’s reinforcement of his views in 1952, but D. Brogile eventually reverted back to his earlier interpretations of atoms. De Brogile noticed that electrons had a double nature, which is similar to both particles and waves. His discovery changed our view of the atom as the discovery proved to scientists that atom didn’t work like the solar system because electrons don’t move in routine circuits. -
G.J. Stoney
G.J. Stoney was born in 1826 and died in 1911. G.J Stoney was influenced by a man name Lord Rosse, George worked for him. G.J. Stoney anticipated that electricity was made up of separate negative particles, which he called “electrons”. George changed the way we viewed atoms as he proved that electrons existed inside atoms. -
Dmitry Mendeleyev
Dmitry Mendeleyev was born in 1834 and died in 1907. Dmitry was influenced and encouraged by his mother, as he was her favourite child being the youngest and able to get more opportunities then the other siblings. Another major influence in Dmitry’s life was his sister Olga’s husband. Bessargin engaged himself in educating Dmitry the science of the day. Dmitry invented the periodic table of elements. His invention enhanced every chemistry classroom in the whole world. -
Joseph John Thomson
Joseph was born in 1856 and died in 1940. He was influenced by James Clerk Maxwell. James discovered the X-ray, this made Thomson realize that cathode rays revealed a single charge to a mass ration of e m and that it must be combined of one negative charged particle. John was the first ever person to discover that electrons had negatively charged particles inside atoms. This discovery helped reform the understanding of atomic structure. -
Ernest Rutherford
Ernest Rutherford was born in 1871 and died in 1937. Ernest got the opportunity to study under the guidance of J.J Thomson.Joseph encouraged Ernest throughout his study. From Joesphs encouragement Ernest went on and discover that atoms contain a positively charged nucleus with electrons circling at very fast speeds. Before the discovery Rutherford made, scientists believed that atoms were a single particle. But Rutherford proved them wrong by his discovery of the atom. -
Frederick Soddy
Frederick Soddy was born in 1877 and died in 1956. Frederick in association with Ernest Rutherford showed in 1903 how dangerous elements degenerate. Frederick wouldn’t have completed this experiment if it wasn’t for Ernest’s encouragement and participation in this discovery. Frederick detected impulsive breakdowns of radioactive elements into variations he called “isotopes”. Frederick’s discovery changed our view of the atom as he proved that the same elements existed in distinctive form. -
Niels Bohr
Niels Bohr was born in 1885 and died in 1962. Bohr studied physics under J.J Thomson but he didn’t agree with Niels terminology. Bohr then worked under Ernest Rutherford and they influenced each other and were able to expand on their ideas of the structure of the atom. Neils Bohr determined that the number of electrons circling the shell around the nucleus, determines that specific atoms chemical properties. Niels Bohr changed the way we view atoms as we got to see the structure of an atom. -
James Chadwick
James Chadwick was born in 1891 and died in 1974. Ernest Rutherford influenced James a lot, as he oversaw James PhD and made him assistant director of the lab. He proved the presence of neutrons and noticed that when atoms are flooded with energy neutrons flowing out can split other atoms. This discovery resulted the start of the nuclear age. The discovery changed our view as we found out about neutrons and how they benefit steadiness of protons in the atoms nucleus. -
Enrico Fermi
Enrico Fermi was born in 1901 and died in 1954. Enrico spent some time with Ehrenfest at Leiden, they grew a strong friendship and Ehrenfest encouraged him to do further research on atoms. Enrico guided the first controlled chain response, which released energy from the atoms nucleus. Enrico changed our view of the atom as he developed the first nuclear reactor, this proved to scientist that energy was being released from the atoms nucleus. -
Murray Gellman
Murray Gellman was born in 1929 and is still alive today. Murray considerably was influenced by his father, not only did his father exhibite a life-long interest with languages, but also he refinied his own display of intellectual interests. Murray projected the quark theory, which identified that protons and neutrons are made of even smaller particles called quarks. Murray changed our view on atoms as he showed us what makes up protons and neutrons, which is called quarks.
