Chemistry History

04-30 – Discovery of the electron

Today in chemistry history: J. J. Thomson and the discovery of the electron

04-30 – Discovery of the electron

On this day (30 April) in 1897, Joseph J Thomson announced the discovery of the electron. It was the first time a subatomic particle had been discovered. This graphic takes a quick look at his discovery; for a more detailed explanation, check out this Institute of Physics article. For more on different models of the atom over the years, there’s this graphic highlighting key theories and models.

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