Structure of the Atom
INTRODUCTION Matter is made up of tiny particles called atoms. Atoms are further made of three fundamental particles or sub – atomic particles called electron, proton and neutron. Earlier Dalton postulated that atom is indivisible i.e. cannot be further divided which proved to be wrong by discovery of sub – atomic particles. Types of Sub - atomic Particles Note - Protons and neutrons are almost of same mass.The mass of proton is approximately 2000 times as that of the electron. Discovery of Sub- atomic Particles (a) Electron (e - ): These negatively charged particles were discovered by J. J. Thomson in 1897. In the experiment, a gas at low pressure was taken in a discharge tube made up of glass. At the ends of the discharge tube two electrodes were placed, connected to a battery for high voltage supply. The electrode connected to the negative end was known as cathode and that to the positive as anode. He then observed a stream of negatively charged particles coming out of