What is a quantum leap? Will it ever be possible for someone to travel through time or space by accessing the energy involved in an electron's move from one level to another? Will it become commonplace in the future to say, "Beam me up" and be relocated to another planet? In order to answer these questions, you will have to understand the properties of an atom.

Since the beginning of recorded history, different scientists and philosophers have attempted to describe the basic particle that comprises all matter. As technology has advanced, our idea of the atom has changed to fit the evidence revealed by scientific experimentation. Each of you will work in a group to uncover and describe the principles, scientists, and evidence supporting one of the theories of atomic structure. You will then compare your theory to current knowledge and explain the extent to which your atomic theory appropriately describes the latest evidence.

Upon completion of your project, each group will share a description of the development and model of the atom from theory and the class will compare the theories, debating the qualities of each. You will then be asked to write a paragraph on your opinion regarding the appropriateness of funding projects designed to answer the question "What is the atom like?"

1. Before researching your atomic theory, you need a general understanding of the current description of evidence regarding the atom. Where would you go to find this information? To begin with, every group needs to access The Atom, read the published information, and write a brief (3/4 to 1 page, typed) description of recent experimentation involving atomic structure. When you visit this site, you may need to follow further links to get a complete picture of the most current information. This is a group activity, those who are more savvy on the Net should help other group members so that each of you knows how to access information from a web site.
2. Using the list of sites below, consider the information found on your assigned topic. Your textbook may be used as a reference if you are unfamiliar with terminology. However, the information found in the report you turn in should be found from the sites below, and any other sites you locate by searching your topic. At this point, you should assign specific roles to group members so that each one is responsible for finding information to describe one of the following aspects of your theory:
   • structure and components of the atom
   • scientists involved in developing the theory
   • experimental evidence for the theory
   • relationship to current evidence regarding the atom
   • types of laboratory equipment used for research typical of this period of time
3. Report to one another the information you have discovered for each part of your presentation. It will be necessary that everyone draft your report, but individual group members may be assigned the task of completing each of these components of your project. Each group will be responsible for producing:
   • a 3-5 page report (this means at least 75 typed lines, one-inch margins all, font no larger than 12 point) addressing the five aspects listed above regarding your assigned theory
   • a visual model of the atom (this may be a three-dimensional constructed model, a video, a computer-generated slide show, or another creative representation, but it must be at least a full-poster board size model of your atom)
   • a 5-8 minute oral presentation of your project (you may act out this discovery or summarize your information, but you may not read your report to the class, and every member of the group must participate in some manner)
     
   Resources

In the table below, click on the name of the person or group that you have been assigned. This will take you to a page of suggested web sites to aid you in your project.

John Dalton

J.J. Thomson

Ernest Rutherford

Niels Bohr

Quantum Mechanical Model

 

Evaluation

During your presentation you will be observed by three of your peers (randomly selected from the class) and myself using a project rubric. Following your presentation each of you will complete a self evaluation using this same project rubric. Each of you will also assess the performance of your group members using a cooperative rubric. Following all presentations, I will award a grade for your report.

Following all group presentations, we will spend time discussing each of the theories and any inventions or new technology uncovered along with them that may have improved the quality of life. Each of you must determine the value of funding research designed to discover the structure of the atom considering all outcomes and by products of the pursuit. You will then write a 3/4 to 1-page essay relaying your opinion and giving support for it.