Atomic Theory
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Atomic Theory
The Greek concept of atomos: the atom Around 440 BC leucippus of Miletus
originated the atom concept. He and his pupil, Democritus of abdera refined it
for future use. Their atomic idea has five major points. All original writings
of leucippus and Democritus are lost. The only sources we have for there
atomistic ideas are inquotations from other writers. Democritus was known as the
"laughing philosopher" because he enjoyed life so much. At this time
Greek philosophy was about 150 years old, emerging in the sixth century bc,
centered in the city of miletus on the ionian coast in Asia minor, which is now
turkey. The work of leucippus and Democritus was further developed by epicures
(341-270 BC) of Samos. He made ideas more generally known. Aristotle also quotes
both of them in arguing against their ideas. Most of what we know about
leucippus and Democritus was found in a poem entitled "de rerum natura"
(on the nature of things) written by Lucretius (95-55 BC). This poem was lost
for over a thousand years and was discovered in 1417. These are the basic points
of their theory. #1 - all matter is composed of atoms, which are bits of matter
to small to be seen. These cannot be split any smaller. " The atomists hold
that splitting stops when it reaches indivisible particles and goes on no
more" Which means there is a limit to division of matter that we cannot go.
Atoms are very hard so they cannot be divided. In Greek "a" means not
and "tomos" means cut. So our word comes from atomos, meaning
uncuttable. He reasoned that if matter could be infinitely divided, it could
also completely disintegrate and cannot be put back together, however matter can
regenerate. Even though matter can be destroyed by splitting, new things can be
made by joining other matter together. This process is reversible. The idea of
reversibility means there must be a limit to splitting. If it could be split
forever, there is nothing to stop it from destroying itself. Epicures insisted
on an upper limit also, that atoms are always invisible, it seems obvious; all
matter that can be seen is still divisible, so they can't be atoms. #2- there is
an empty space between atoms. " Unless there is a void with a separate
being of its own 'what is' cannot be moved-nor again can it be 'many' since
there is nothing to keep things apart." So there is an empty space between
atoms, or a vacuum. Given that all matter is composed of atoms, then all changes
must be a result of movement of atoms....
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