casey.jennison.atomichistory.fall.2009

Geber

Democritus Thrace, Greece 460-370 B.C.E.

Democritus came up with the base concept of atoms. Although his perception was off, he is correct in many ways.One of his beliefs was that atoms were too tiny to be seen or measured and that atoms can combine or reposition themselves to form different things. He believed there is just atoms and space. He also believed atoms could not be splitted because there was no space in the atoms themselves. His concepts laid the very foundation of chemistry as we know it.

Aristotle Stragira, Greece 384-322 B.C.E.

Aristotle came up with the idea that there were only four elements: earth, water, air, and fire. He said that the elements can combine to form different things. His ideas were flawed. According to Aristotle, atoms could not exist because he believed that in between atoms is vacuum(so there is space in between them). Aristotle's views were widely accepted for a very long time because it was difficult to disprove his theories during that time. So until the technology and other principles for studying nature( scientific method), his idea's kept study of chemistry going.