Who proposed the idea of an atom?
Democritus was a famed Greek philosopher who proposed the idea of an atom.
Who was the first atomic theory?
Dalton, who is often called the father of chemistry, proposed the first atomic theory based on the experimental evidence that supported the law of conservation of mass. As you can tell, the word atomic came from Democritus idea of an atom. To see how the atomic theory evolved click here.
What Model is Used to Depict an Atom?
For simplicity, scientists use a circle or a fuzzy cloud to serve as a model of an atom; Be aware that this is just a model not an actual atom.
What is the smallest piece of an element that can unite with another atom of the same or different element to?
In short, an atom is the smallest piece of an element that can unite with another atom of the same or different element to make a new substance. The ability of atoms to combine with one another in different amounts is one way nature can make so many different materials with unique physical and chemical properties.
What does the word "atom" mean in Greek?
Atoms were impenetrably hard, meaning they could not be divided. In Greek, the prefix "a" means "not" and the word "tomos" means cut. Our word atom therefore comes from atomos, a Greek word meaning uncuttable. The word is derived from the Greek word "atomos", meaning indivisible.
When did the idea of the atom come about?
Answer. The concept of the atom originated round 440 BC. Leucippus of Miletus came up with the idea. He and his pupil, Democritus refined and extended the idea in the years after. Almost all of the original writings of Leucippus and Democritus are lost.
Who came up with the idea of the smallest unit of matter?
It was a philosophical, not a scientific, question that gave rise to the concept of a smallest "indivisible" unit of matter. In 1803, John Dalton formulated the "atomic theory" of matter based on experiments that quantified the weights of elements formed when compounds were broken down.
Is an atom indivisible?
Twentieth century physics was able to probe atoms and prove that they are not, in fact, indivisible. But the name stuck, and still has meaning in that atoms are the smallest, indivisible part of any element.
