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Knowledge and Skills Statement

Science concepts. The student understands the development of atomic theory and applies it to real-world phenomena.

The images below provide a convenient comparison of Dalton's, Thompson's, Rutherford's, and Bohr's models of atomic structure.

Dalton's Postulates
Black ball
File:Atomo de Dalton.jpg - Wikimedia Commons
Thomson's discovery of electron properties
White circle with a blue positive symbol in the middle. Small blue circles are scattered throughout.
File:PlumPuddingModel ManyCorpuscles.png - Wikimedia Commons
Rutherford's nuclear atom
Atom with a small black center surrounded by red circles (electrons) on an orbit around the center.
File:Rutherford atom.svg - Wikimedia Commons
Bohr's nuclear atom
Atom model showing energy levels for 3 orbitals
File:Bohr atom model.svg - Wikimedia Commons

 

a theory of the nature of matter: all material substances are composed of minute particles or atoms of a comparatively small number of kinds and all the atoms of the same kind are uniform in size, weight, and other properties

detectable events that are observed through the senses or technology; can be explained through scientific laws, ideas, principles, and theories

Research

Jadhav, Ghanshyam. "Spin Atomic Model: Role of Electron Spin in forming Atoms and Molecules." Journal of Physics: Conference Series 2603, no. 1 (2023): 012048. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/2603/1/012048

Summary:  This paper recounts the history of atomic models and their limitations in brief.

Research

Kaya, Ali. "Addressing Student Misconceptions About Atoms and Examining Instructor Strategies for Overcoming Them." Journal of Pedagogical Research 7, no. 4 ((2023): 251-262. https://doi.org/10.33902/JPR.202323077

Summary:  This paper examines the misconceptions held by students about atoms and determines the suggestions of the instructors (academics and teachers) to overcome these misconceptions. It is recommended that atomic models not be taught in primary school education and that three new methods could be used in teaching this subject.