Explain Thomson’s model of the atom. What are its drawbacks?

1.	Explain Thomson’s model of the atom. What are its drawbacks?
Answer» The first model of the atom with a substructure was put forward in 1898 by Sir J.J. Thomson (1856-1940), a British physicist. According to this model, an atom consists of a sphere with a uniform distribution of positive charge and electrons embedded in it such that the atom is electrically neutral and stable. Drawbacks : This model, known as the plumpudding model, failed to account for the observed scattering of α-particles and spectra of various elements. [Note : It can be shown that the Thomson atom cannot be stable.]

Answer»

The first model of the atom with a substructure was put forward in 1898 by Sir J.J. Thomson (1856-1940), a British physicist. According to this model, an atom consists of a sphere with a uniform distribution of positive charge and electrons embedded in it such that the atom is electrically neutral and stable.

Drawbacks : This model, known as the plumpudding model, failed to account for the observed scattering of α-particles and spectra of various elements.

[Note : It can be shown that the Thomson atom cannot be stable.]

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