Question

Whatare the demerits of Thomson model of atom?

Answer 1

Answer:

Thomson's atomic model failed to explain how the positive charge holds on the electrons inside the atom. It also failed to explain an atom's stability. The theory did not mention anything about the nucleus of an atom. It was unable to explain the scattering experiment of Rutherford.6

Explanation:

Thomson atomic model, earliest theoretical description of the inner structure of atoms, proposed about 1900 by William Thomson (Lord Kelvin) and strongly supported by Sir Joseph John Thomson, who had discovered (1897) the electron, a negatively charged part of every atom. Though several alternative models were advanced in the 1900s by Kelvin and others, Thomson held that atoms are uniform spheres of positively charged matter in which electrons are embedded. Popularly known as the plum pudding model, it had to be abandoned (1911) on both theoretical and experimental grounds in favour of the Rutherford atomic model, in which the electrons describe orbits about a tiny positive nucleus.

Thomson atomic modelWilliam Thomson (also known as Lord Kelvin) envisioned the atom as a sphere with a uniformly distributed positive charge and embedded within it enough electrons to neutralize the positive charge.

Thomson atomic modelWilliam Thomson (also known as Lord Kelvin) envisioned the atom as a sphere with a uniformly distributed positive charge and embedded within it enough electrons to neutralize the positive charge.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

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Thomson atomic model

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KEY PEOPLE

J.J. Thomson

RELATED TOPICS

Atom

This article was most recently revised and updated by Adam Augustyn, Managing Editor.

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