Brief history of Atomic Theory

Brief history of Atomic Theory

            The Atomic Theory states that all matter can be broken down into minute particles known as atoms. It further describes the atom as the minutest particle that can exist on its own and preserve the qualities of an element. This theory, though seeming simple when considered superficially, is very profound. It negates the notion that matter such as water would continue to have its usual properties, despite the minuteness of the quantity being observed (Lahav, 2008).

The different accounts of the atomic theory can be traced all the way back to ancient Greece. The Greek philosopher Democritus is credited with its pioneering. This Fifth Century BC materialist philosopher stated that every form of matter is composed of lesser units that exist freely in an empty space. He was of the thought that these tiny units were indivisible and unchangeable and he went ahead to give them the name ‘atomos’. This Greek name means something that cannot be cut. Although his thought is challengeable currently as atoms are divisible and have much more smaller units, his underlying thought that matter is made up of tiny particles moving around in a void still remains the basic foundation of atomic physics.

Another philosopher, this time from India, also added profound knowledge on this idea. Kananda, a philosopher from India, during the Sixth Century BC also came up with his own atomic theory. He independently also came up with the theory that matter can be broken down into its constituent parts, “paramāṇus”, which he thought to be inseparable and perpetual. He advanced that these made up the water, earth and fire. However, he forwarded several theories on how these paramāṇus combine, but he believed that their interaction was solely governed by Ishvara, a Hindu god.

In the year 1800, John Dalton came up with the theory that all elements were made up of atoms. The atoms were identical irrespective of the element and they combined to form different compounds. He also forwarded that these atoms could be neither created nor destroyed. Today, this theory is however not accepted in its entirety, as atoms are sub-divisible into protons, neutrons and electrons (Click and learn, 2010).

 

References

Click and Learn. (2010). Atomic Theories. Retrieved from http://www.clickandlearn.org/gr9_sci/atoms/modelsoftheatom.html

Lahav, O. (2008). History of the atomic theory. Retrieved from http://chemistry.learnhub.com/lesson/3663-history-of-the-atomic-theory-i-ancient-times

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