Atomic Theory Timeline Song

Words by Christy JohannessonTo the tune of the “Alphabet Song”

Verse 1• Dalton’s model was the “Billiard

Ball”• Atoms are indivisible• Thomson used the Cathode Ray• Electrons are charged in a negative

way• His model was “Plum Pudding” • Or a chocolate chip cookie

Verse 2• Becquerel found by accident• Radiation from an atom went• Oil drops were used by Millikan• To find the mass and charge of an

electron• While they changed the models

none• They paved the way for others to

come

Verse 3• Rutherford experimented with Gold

Foil• To find the nucleus he did toil• Its positive charge and tiny size• Showed that he was rather wise• Electrons moving ‘round the

nucleus• Describes the “Nuclear Model” for

us

Verse 4• Bohr said electrons move in orbits

round• In energy levels they can be found• This explains the reason behind• The bright-line spectrum that we

find• “Planetary Model” it was called• But Bohr knew that it was flawed

Verse 5• The orbital proposed by

Schrödinger• Described most likely where

electrons were• Quantum mechanics was the new

game• “Electron Cloud” was the model’s

name• Finally Chadwick found the neutron• But atomic theory still moves on