Democritus and Albert Einstein

Ivahna Levine and Summaiya Ishrat

Democritus

Democritus was born on 460 BCE in Abdera, Thrace. He was an Ancient Greek philosopher.

Democritus developed the idea for the atomic theory from Leucippus that “nothing could come from nothing, that everything is already in the world and it is merely a matter of combination and recombination of eternal bits of immutable stuff called atoms that remains invisible in and of themselves, but are capable by hooks and barbs or balls and joints to combine to other atoms to make up the materials of life.” Also, different from today’s understanding of atomic structure, Democritus thought that atoms were invisible (the Greek for ‘Atom’ was atomon or atomos) and infinite in size and shape as well as firm and completely solid.

Democritus didn’t do any experiments; he only used theoretical reasons to conclude that matter can only be divided up to certain point.This led the idea of atoms in void.

Interesting facts:

Known as the “The Laughing Philosopher” because he was often cheerful while at work.

Democritus was never married. He was born in a wealthy family. He was a forerunner in mathematics and geometry.

Albert Einstein

Albert Einstein was born in Ulm, Württemberg, Germany in 1879. Einstein was known to be the most influential physicist of the 20th century.

Albert Einstein became famous for the theory of relativity, which laid the basis for the release of atomic energy. In 1905, Einstein mathematically proved the existence of atoms. Also, the idea that heat is the result of the motion of atoms and molecules was confirmed and thus helped revolutionize all the sciences through the use of statistics and probability.

Einstein deduced the well-known equation E=mc2, suggesting that tiny particles of matter could be converted into huge amounts of energy, foreshadowing the development of nuclear power. His Brownian motion and demonstration showed the calculations of the average distance an immersed visible particle would travel in given time by just using a microscope and a stopwatch.

Interesting Facts:

Einstein’s use of statistical functions and probability theory revolutionized the study of all complex study and improved our understanding of how world works.

Einstein was a slow learner and slow to talk. Einstein married his cousin. Albert Einstein was famous for having a bad memory. Einstein had an illegitimate daughter born in 1902. Einstein never learned how to drive.

Sources:

"EasyBib: The Free Automatic Bibliography Composer." EasyBib. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Oct. 2014.

http://www.easybib.com/

"Democritus - Biography." Democritus. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Oct. 2014.

http://www.egs.edu/library/democritus/biography/

"Interesting Facts." Democritus. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Oct. 2014.

http://democrituspd8.weebly.com/interesting-facts.html

"Democritus." Democritus. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Oct. 2014.

http://www.nndb.com/people/790/000087529/

"Democritus." - Mathematician Biography, Facts and Pictures. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Oct. 2014.

http://www.famous-mathematicians.com/democritus/

Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 23 Oct. 2014.

http://www.biography.com/people/albert-einstein-9285408#move-to-the-united-states

"Albert Einstein and the Most Elemental Atomic Theory." ANS Nuclear Cafe. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Oct. 2014.

http://ansnuclearcafe.org/2012/03/20/albert-einstein-and-the-most-elemental-atomic-theory/

"Einstein Facts: 15 Facts about Einstein You Didn't Know â ��FACTSlidesâ��."Einstein Facts: 15 Facts about Einstein You Didn't Know â��FACTSlidesâ��. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Oct. 2014.

http://www.factslides.com/s-Einstein#

MAX PLANCK

1) Lived from April 23, 1858-October 4, 1947. He lived in Germany.

2) He contributes to the understanding of the atom because his constant, expressed as “h” in equations, is approximately 6.63 x10^23 erg-second one of the basic constants of physics. It’s used to describe the behavior of particles and moves at the atomic scale. The quantum theory revolutionized human understanding of atomic and subatomic processes. It won him a Nobel Prize in physics in 1918. Quantum theory is science of the very small, the body of the scientific principles that explain the behavior of matter and its interactions with energy on the scale of the atoms and sub-atomic particles.

3) He found the equation E=Nhf. “E” stands for energy, “N” stands for integer, “h” stands for constant, and “f” stands for frequency.

4) -The asteroid 1069 was named after him as "Stella Planckia" by the International Astronomical Union in 1938.

-Planck was amid the few who instantly recognized the importance of the special theory of relativity and he also contributed considerably to extend this theory.

-The finding of Planck’s constant allowed him to outline a new universal set of physical units like the Planck length and the Planck mass that were all based on fundamental physical constants.

-In 1905, the 3 epochal papers of Albert Einstein were published in the journal Annalen der Physik and Planck was amongst the few who instantly acknowledged the importance of the special theory of relativity.

-Planck made many contributions to theoretical physics, but his popular reputation is chiefly because of his discoverer of the quantum theory.

Antoine Lavoisier birthday:

o 26 August 1743

death date: o 8 May 1794

where he lived: o Paris, France

contributed information to understanding of atom: o began the discussion on what exactly an atom

was how information was found:

o came up with law of conservation of matter, paving way

interesting facts: o considered father of modern chemistryo known for experimental skillso was supposed to become a lawyero suspected of treason during French Revolution

Citations"Antoine Lavoisier." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 26 Oct. 2014. Web. 26 Oct. 2014."Antoine Lavoisier." History of the Atomic Theory. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Oct. 2014."Lavoisier, Antoine Laurent (1743–1794)." Lavoisier, Antoine Laurent (1743-1794). N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Oct. 2014.

Marisol Smith & Sara Scamardi

Honors Chemistry

J.J. Thomson Research

1. Thomson lived from December 18, 1856 to August 30, 1940. He lived in Cheetham Hill, England.

2. Thomson found the electron in 1897.

3. Experiment:

Thomson used a negatively charged metal plate, a positively charged metal plate, and cathode rays. The cathode rays moved towards the positively charged plate so the rays were proven to be negatively charged. The negatively charged plate repelled the rays. The electric field performed the deflection successfully.

4. Fun Facts!!!

- Thomson won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1906!

- Thomson originally referred to the electron as the “corpuscles.”

- Thomson was the first to use mass spectrometry!

- He published 13 books and 200 papers in his lifetime!

- He married one of his students in 1892!

Sources:

"Cambridge Physics - Discovery of the Electron." Cambridge Physics - Discovery of the Electron. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Oct. 2014.

http://www-outreach.phy.cam.ac.uk/camphy/electron/electron2_1.htm

Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 22 Oct. 2014

http://www.biography.com/people/jj-thomson-40039#research

History of the Atom Project; Ernest Rutherford

1) Ernest Rutherford lived from August 30, 1871 to October 19, 1937. He was born in New Zealand, United Kingdom.2) To the atom, he contributed that atoms have a nucleus.3) He found this information by using the gold foil experiment that allowed some to go through and some to bounce back.4) Interesting facts;* Two of Ernest’s brothers were drowned in 1886.* His real name is technically “Earnest Rutherford” because they spelt it wrong on his birth certificate.*Rutherfordiu

Citations:“Ernest Rutherford: Major Accomplishments.” <http://ernestrutherfordpd7.weebly.com/>“Ernest Rutherford: Interesting Facts” <http://ernestrutherfordpd7.weebly.com/interesting-facts.html>

History of the Atom Project Alayna Harrison, Moraima Rivera, Jack Smith

John Dalton

1. Birth: September 6, 1Death: July 27, 1844Lived in England

2. Dalton’s atomic theory consisted of these main points:

Everything is composed of small particles called atoms.

Atoms are indivisible and indestructible.

Atoms of a given element are identical in size, mass, and chemical properties.

Atoms of a specific element are different from those of another element.

Different atoms combine in simple whole-number ratios to form compounds.

In a chemical reaction, atoms are separated, combined, or rearranged.

3. He studied numerous chemical reactions.

4. John Dalton was a Quaker, and as such, could not attend or hold a position in university. Instead, he taught at a school formed by his brother for Quakers.

John Dalton had a rare form of colorblindness, which only allowed him to see yellow.

John Dalton theorized that colorblindness was genetic, as his brother had it aswell.

Marie Curie

By: Kelvin Wilburn, Victoria Diehl, Michael Saler

Born: November 7, 1867(Warsaw, Poland)

Died: July 4, 1934 (Passu Haute-Savtoic, France)

Full name: Maria Salomea Sklodowska

Spouse: Pierre Curielm 1895-1906

Discovered: Radium, Polonium

Children: Irene Joliot- Curie, Eve Curie

First women to receive Noble Peace Prize in Physic (1903)

Founded Radium Institute (1932)

Worked as a tutor and child governors

Awarded PhD (1903)

Niels Bohr

Amy Russell & Brandi Flem

1. When did they live? October 7th, 1885 - November 18th, 1962

Where did they live? Copenhagen, Denmark

2. What new information they contribute?

Developed the Bohr model of the atom

he proposed that energy levels of electrons are discrete

Electrons can jump from one energy level (or orbit) to another

3. How did they find this information? Bohr found this information by making the model.

4. Interesting facts about Niels Bohr;

He played college soccer

Niels & Margethe’s son followed in his father’s footsteps in physics.

Nobel Prize Winner

Father named, Christian Bohr, who observed the phenomenon called Bohr Shift.

Got doctor’s degree in 1911

Considered one of the most dominant & influential physicist of the 20th century.

James Chadwick Research

Mya Odrick and Amanda Reyes

When did they live? Where did they live?

October 20th 1891 (Cherishre, England)

What new information did they contribute to the understanding of the atom?

Neutrons

How did they find this new information?

He copied Frederic and Irene JC’s experiment, but searching for a neutral particle with the same mass as a proton.

Interesting Facts:

Nobel prize for Physics (1935)

Hugh’s Medal of the Royal Society (1932)

Assistant director of research in the Cavendish Lab (1923)

Ran for a lot of official offices

 

Sources

"2014 Nobel Prizes." Nobelprize.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Oct. 2014.

"Explore PBS." PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 26 Oct. 2014.

Robert Millikan1. Birth: March 22, 1868

Death: December 19, 1953Lived in America

2. He contributed the charge and mass of an electron. Mass of and Electron= 9.1 X 10-28

3. He found this information by the oil drop experiment.

4. Robert Millikan worked as a court reporter before entering college.Millikan’s favorite subjects were originally Greek and mathematics, but soon gained

interest in physics after teaching elementary physics.He received his Phd for research on the polarization of light emitted by incandescent

surfaces.

Dalton Research Citations-

"John Dalton and Atomic Theory - Boundless Open Textbook." Boundless. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Oct. 2014."Chapter 4: The Structure of an Atom." Glencoe Chemistry: Matter and Change. 1st ed. N.p.: McGraw-Hill Education, 2007. N. pag. Print. Glencoe Science Ser.“John Dalton Facts” - http://www.softschools.com/facts/scientists/john_dalton_facts/723/

Millikan Research Citations-

"Millikan's Oil Drop Experiment - Boundless Open Textbook." Boundless. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Oct. 2014."Chapter 4: The Structure of an Atom." Glencoe Chemistry: Matter and Change. 1st ed. N.p.: McGraw-Hill Education, 2007. N. pag. Print. Glencoe Science Ser.“Robert A. Millikan - Facts” http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/physics/laureates/1923/millikan-facts.html

Louis de Broglie

Lived in France from 1892 to 1987.He his ideas on atoms helped develop the wave mechanics theory.There was no experimental data to support his idea that electrons behaved like waves, but his ideas did help explain previously unaccountable phenomena.In 1929 Broglie won the nobel prize in physics at 38 years old.Died at the age of 94 in 1987Born in Dieppe, France and died in Louveciennes, FranceMost known for his founding of wavelengths

Nelson Gonzalez, Tony Frontado, Quashawn Hassan

1. Erwin Schrodinger was borned August 12, 1887 and Died January 4, 1961 in Vienna, Austria, his home town.

2. Based on Niels Bohr's theory of the atom, that electrons are able to absorb and radiate radiation of wavelengths move around a nucleus, Schrödinger came up with an wave-equation that gave the energy levels of atoms in 1926.

3. The Wave-Equation called “Schrodinger’s equation” is, as the name implies, an equation. During the early twentieth sources, experimental evidence showed that electrons are “wave-like in nature.” Schrodinger's equation was one of the first wave equation written down. One experiment, which followed the equation Schrodinger wrote, was used to

solve the energy levels of the Hydrogen atom, and the energy levels were found to be correct, proving the equation was, in fact, correct.

4. Fun Facts: Fought in World War 1 as an artillery officer, Achieved a breakthrough during his late 30’s when most scientist in the

quantum mechanics world achieved major breakthroughs in their mid-early twenties.

Wrote a book called “What Is Life? (1944)” in his later years, which is a very well respected book

Famous for the "Schrödinger's cat" paradox (How I first heard of him)

Citation"Erwin Schrödinger - Facts". Nobelprize.org. Nobel Media AB 2014. Web. 27 Oct 2014. <http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/physics/laureates/1933/schrodinger-facts.html>

"Erwin Schrödinger." Bio. A&E Television Networks, 2014. Web. 27 Oct. 2014.<http://www.biography.com/people/erwin-schr%C3%B6dinger-9475545#books-and-final-years>

Zane Goodwin “Schrodinger equation”. PhysLink.com<http://www.physlink.com/Education/AskExperts/ae329.cfm>

Eidy Rodriguez & Adriana Morales

Scientist: Werner Heisenberg

1. When did they live? Where did they live?

Heisenberg lived in the 1900s (from 1901-1976). He lived Germany.

2. What new information did they contribute to the understanding of the atom?

He contributed that electrons do not travel in neat orbits, and that electrons that contain protons will change momentum and physics. (He calculated the behavior of electrons, and subatomic particles that make up atoms.)

3. How did they find this new information? (What experiments did they do?)

Heisenberg used mathematical physics to come up with this information.

4. Interesting facts- other accomplishments, personal information, famous historical events at the time, etc.

• His work included study of plasma physics and the process of nuclear fusion.

• He was a member & later the chairman of the Scientific Policy Committee at the International Institute of Atomic Physics in Geneva.

• He was nominated for the Nobel Prize by Albert Einstein & eventually awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1932 for the ‘creation of quantum mechanics’. Is also the recipient of the Max Planck Medal in 1933.

Citations:

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/259761/Werner-Heisenberg

http://www.famousscientists.org/werner-heisenberg/

https://the-history-of-the-atom.wikispaces.com/Werner+Heisenberg

www.10-facts-about.com/Werner-Heisenberg/id/338