Atomic Structure

INTRIDUCTION

            Our universe in made of matter and Energy. One the oldest ideas in science is that another can be divided and further divided into smaller and smaller particles until eventually the smallest possible particles are obtained; these particles cannot be further divided. A Greek philosopher Democritus in 400B.C gave this idea. He called these particles atoms (Greek; atomos, the indivisible). This idea was not based on any experimental result and did not influence science.
            JOHN Dalton revived the above theory in 1803. By this time a large number of experimental results and been built up. Dalton stated in his Atomic theory that matter is composed of ting. (very small)and indivisible particles called atoms. The atom was recognized as a smallest possible division of a matter. Latter on by the end of 19th century, advanced study of the atom was made and evidence were obtained that atom is made of indivisible particles and by breaking it further smaller (Small than atom itself) particles can be obtained. These smaller particles were called as the Fundamental particles or sub atomic particles.
            There are several subatomic particles, but the particles of interest to us are:-
            a)         Electrons                     b)         Protons           c)         Neutrons.