History of the Atom Webquest:

The Atom: The Basic Building Block of Matter

Introduction:

You as industrious chemistry students will attempt to answer the age old question every chemistry teacher is asked. “Who discovered the atom?” Students expect to hear a single name in response but, as you will discover, the answer to this question is not as easy as it seems. Being able to make a satisfactory reply will require that you research each of several notable historical figures and determine the contribution each has made to our knowledge of the atom.

Instructions:

1.)Research information on the following contributors to the discovery of the atom.

  1. Democritus/Aristotle
  2. John Dalton
  3. JJ Thompson
  4. Ernest Rutherford
  5. Niels Bohr
  1. You may use the internet or your textbook to find the following information about each scientist.
  2. Learn each one’s most significant contribution to our understanding of the atom
  3. The approximate year when it occurred.
  4. Draw the model of the atom, if any, that resulted from each man’s work.
  5. You will create a timeline that represents a condensed history of the atom.
  6. You may work in groups to do the research but must EACH create your own timeline!!

DUE DATE: 9/13

On-line Resources
Please do not limit yourself to the on-line resources provided. You may use any resource as long as you verify the source as reliable. Be careful to look for credibility. Use sources from colleges and universities above someone's 3rd grade science project.

The History of Chemistry

A World of Particles

Atomic Structure Table of Contents

A Look Inside the Atom

Atom and the History of the Atom

Google Search Engine

Quantum Mechanics and Quantum Theory

History of the Atom

Chem 4 kids

The Birth of the Atom

The history of the atom

The Atomic Bomb: A Brief History

Noble Mesuem

Radioactivy: Hisotorical Figures

Milikan's Oil Drop Experiment

Determination of the Charge on an Electron

Atomic Structure Timeline
Cathode Rays

The Discovery of the Electron

Rutherford's Gold Foil Experiment

Grading Rubric for each scientist: (8 points per scientist = 40 points total)

Significant Contributions
4 / 3 / 2 / 1 / 0
Timeline succinctly and accurately summarizes significant contributions / Timeline fairly accurately summarizes significant contributions / Contributions somewhat noted but may be inaccurate or confusing / Significant contributions incorrect or highly misleading / No contributions noted
Model of the Atom
3 / 2 / 1 / 0
Model of the atom is clearly drawn and shows sufficient detail / Model of the atom is less clear or missing some detail / Model of the atom is poorly drawn and/or missing significant details / Model of the atom is not drawn
Year of Contribution
1 / 0
Year of contribution shown on timeline is approximately correct / Year of contribution incorrect or not given