Limitations of Thomson’s Atomic Model
Thomson’s atomic model had several limitations that were eventually overcome by further research and the experiments of various scientists later on. Some of the limitations of Thomson’s Atomic Model are:
- This model did not account for the presence of positively charged particles in the atom, which were later identified as protons by Ernest Rutherford. The model assumed that the positive charge was distributed uniformly throughout the atom.
- The model could not explain the results of the gold foil experiment conducted by Rutherford, which showed that most of the mass and positive charge of an atom is concentrated in a small, dense nucleus at the centre of the atom.
- The model could not explain the phenomenon of atomic spectra, which is the emission and absorption of specific wavelengths of light by atoms.
- The model did not explain the presence of Isotopes.
Despite these limitations, Thomson’s Atomic Model is an important step in the development of Atomic Theory and only after this theory, there came various theories that provide a better understanding of Atoms.
Thomson’s Atomic Model
Thomson’s Atomic Model is one of the fundamental models of the atom that tries to explain the working and structure of the atom. this model was proposed by famous Scientist JJ Thomson in 1904. Thomson during his cathode ray experiment proved the existence of a negatively charged particle called electron that exists inside the atom. And after complaining about his result he prosed the Thomson atomic model also called Pulm Pudding Model.
In this article, we will learn more about, Thomson Atomic Model, its postulate, and its limitations in detail.