Atomic theory chemical

Edward Frankland, in "Discussion," 302305, following Benjamin Brodie s paper, "On the Mode of Representation afforded by the Chemical Calculus, as Contrasted with the Atomic Theory," Chemical News 15 (1867) 295302 both reprinted in David Knight, ed., Classical Scientific Papers (New York American Elsevier, 1968) 250 in original text, 302 in Knight. 

See also Atomic number Atomic theory Chemical bond Chemical evolution Chemical reactions Equation, chemical Molecular geometry. 

Brodie, Benjamin. 1867. "On the Mode of Representation Afforded by the Chemical Calculus, as Contrasted with the Atomic Theory." Chemical News, 15 295-305. 

Contrasted with the Atomic Theory." Chemical News 15 (1867) 295-305. 

The dawn of the nineteenth century saw a drastic shift from the dominance of French chemistry to first English-, and, later, German-influenced chemistry. Lavoisier s dualistic views of chemical composition and his explanation of combustion and acidity were landmarks but hardly made chemistry an exact science. Chemistry remained in the nineteenth century basically qualitative in its nature. Despite the Newtonian dream of quantifying the forces of attraction between chemical substances and compiling a table of chemical affinity, no quantitative generalization emerged. It was Dalton s chemical atomic theory and the laws of chemical combination explained by it that made chemistry an exact science. 

For two thousand years atoms were considered the smallest and indivisible units of nature. At the beginning of the nineteenth century Dalton got chemistry on the path of atomic theory with his book, A New System of Chemical Philosophy, in which he argued that unbreakable atoms form compounds by linking with other atoms in simple... 

This system of nomenclature has withstood the impact of later experimental discoveries and theoretical developments that have since the time of Guyton de Morveau and Lavoisier greatiy altered the character of chemical thought, eg, atomic theory (Dalton, 1802), the hydrogen theory of acids (Davy, 1809), the duahstic theory (Berzehus, 1811), polybasic acids (Liebig, 1834), Periodic Table (Mendeleev and Meyer, 1869), electrolytic dissociation theory (Arrhenius, 1887), and electronic theory and modem knowledge of molecular stmcture. 

Dalton s atomic theory explained three of the basic laws of chemistry The law of conservation of mass This states that there is no detectable change in mass in an ordinary chemical reaction. If atoms are con-... 

At the beginning of this course you were a new tenant. You were told that chemists believe in atoms and you were asked to accept this proposal tentatively until you yourself knew the evidence for it. Since that time, we have used the atomic theory continuously in our discussions of chemical phenomena. The atomic theory passes the test of a good theory it is useful in explaining a large number of experimental observations. We have become convinced there are atoms. 

The atomic theory provides a ready explanation for the definite composition of chemical compounds. It says that compounds are composed of atoms, and every sample of a given compound must contain the same relative number of atoms of each of its elements. Since the atoms of each element have a characteristic weight, the weight composition of a compound is always the same. Thus, the definite composition of compounds provides experimental support for the atomic theory. 

This success of the atomic theory is not surprising to a historian of science. The atomic theory was first deduced from the laws of chemical composition. In the first decade of the nineteenth century, an English scientist named John Dalton wondered why chemical compounds display such simple weight relations. He proposed that perhaps each element consists of discrete particles and perhaps each compound is composed of molecules that can be formed only by a unique combination of these particles. Suddenly many facts of chemistry became understandable in terms of this proposal. The continued success of the atomic theory in correlating a multitude of new observations accounts for its survival. Today, many other types of evidence can be cited to support the atomic postulate, but the laws of chemical composition still provide the cornerstone for our belief in this theory of the structure of matter. 

To summarize, we find that the weight and volume relations that are observed in chemical changes provide an experimental foundation for the atomic theory. All of contemporary chemical thought is based upon the atomic model and, hence, every successful chemical interpretation strengthens our belief in the usefulness of this theory. 

Despile the convincing support for the atomic theory provided by chemical evidence, there is intuitive appeal to evidence that is closer to the direct vision type. From such experiments comes a much more detailed view of the atom and its make-up. 

Atomic hydrogen spectrum, 253 Atomic number. 88 and periodic table, 89 table, inside back cover Atomic orbitals, 262. 263 Atomic pile, 120 Atomic theory, 17, 22, 28, 234 as a model, 17 chemical evidence for, 234 of John Dalton, 236 review, 34... 

The initial set of experiments and the first few textbook chapters lay down a foundation for the course. The elements of scientific activity are immediately displayed, including the role of uncertainty. The atomic theory, the nature of matter in its various phases, and the mole concept are developed. Then an extended section of the course is devoted to the extraction of important chemical principles from relevant laboratory experience. The principles considered include energy, rate and equilibrium characteristics of chemical reactions, chemical periodicity, and chemical bonding in gases, liquids, and solids. The course concludes with several chapters of descriptive chemistry in which the applicability and worth of the chemical principles developed earlier are seen again and again. 

In chemistry, perhaps because of the significance in visualizing molecular strac-ture, there has been a focus on how students perceive three-dimensional objects from a two-dimensional representation and how students mentally manipulate rotated, reflected and inverted objects (Stieff, 2007 Tuckey Selvaratnam, 1993). Although these visualization skills are very important in chemistry, it is evident that they are not the only ones needed in school chemistry (Mathewson, 1999). For example, conceptual understanding of nature of different types of chemical bonding, atomic theory in terms of the Democritus particle model and the Bohr model, and... 

Study, the students are taught the basic concepts of chemistry such as the kinetic theory of matter, atomic stmcture, chemical bonding, stoichiometry and chemical calculations, kinetics, energetics, oxidation-reduction, electrochemistry, as well as introductory inorgarric and organic chemistry. They also acquire basic laboratory skills as they carry out simple experiments on rates of reaction and heat of reaction, as well as volrrmetric analysis and qualitative analysis in their laboratory sessions. 

The sub-micro level is real, but is not visible and so it can be difficult to comprehend. As Kozma and Russell (1997) point out, understanding chemistry relies on making sense of the invisible and the untouchable (p. 949). Explaining chemical reactions demands that a mental picture is developed to represent the sub-micro particles in the substances being observed. Chemical diagrams are one form of representation that contributes to a mental model. It is not yet possible to see how the atoms interact, thus the chemist relies on the atomic theory of matter on which the sub-micro level is based. This is presented diagrammatically in Fig. 8.2. The links from the sub-micro level to the theory and representational level is shown with the dotted line. 

Johnstone (2000) emphasises the importance of beginning with the macro and symbolic levels (Fig. 8.3) because both comers of the triangle are vistrahsable and can be made concrete with models (p. 12). The strb-micro level, by far the most difficult (Nelson, 2002), is described by the atomic theory of matter, in terms of particles such as electrorrs, atoms and molecules. It is commorrly referred to as the molecular level. Johnstone (2000) describes this level simirltaneorrsly as the strength and weakness of the subject of cherrristry it provides strength through the intellectual basis for chemical explanatiorrs, but it also presents a weakness when novice students try to learn and rmderstand it. 

One of the cornerstones of the atomic theory is that atoms are neither created nor destroyed in chemical or physical processes. In other words, the number of atoms of each type is constant and unchanging. When a quantity does not change, we say that the quantity is conserved. A statement that some quantity is conserved is a conservation law. 

Atoms can form chemical bonds with one another to construct molecules. As we point out in Chapter 2, this is one of the fundamental features of the atomic theory. The details of chemical bonding appear in Chapters 9 and 10. 

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