Is John Dalton considered to be the father of the Atomic theory?”
John Dalton FRS (6 September 1766 – 27 July 1844) was an English chemist, meteorologist and physicist. He is best known for his pioneering work in the development of modern atomic theory, and his research into colour blindness (sometimes referred to as Daltonism, in his honour). Atomic theory In 1800, Dalton became a secretary of the Manchester Literary and Philosophical Society, and in the following year he orally presented an important series of papers, entitled “Experimental Essays” on the constitution of mixed gases; on the pressure of steam and other vapours at different temperatures, both in a vacuum and in air; on evaporation; and on the thermal expansion of gases. These four essays were published in the Memoirs of the Lit & Phil in 1802. The second of these essays opens with the striking remark, There can scarcely be a doubt entertained respecting the reducibility of all elastic fluids of whatever kind, into liquids; and we ought not to despair of affecting it in low temperatur
A series of Essays read before this society and afterwards published in the 5th Vol. of their Memoirs gradually led me to the consideration of ultimate particles or atoms & their combinations. Under the date of September 3rd, 1803, I find in my notebook ‘Observations on the Ultimate Particles of Bodies and their Combinations,’ in which the atomic symbols I still use [were] introduced. On the 23rd of October the same year[I] [r]ead my Essay on the absorption of gases [by water] at the conclusion of which a series of atomic [weights] was given for 21 simple and compound elements .. . . ” – John Dalton (Excerpt from paper read to Manchester Literary and Philosophical Society, 1830) John Dalton is now called the father of modern atomic theory for his efforts. His atomic theories were introduced in 19th century England. In September of 1803, John Dalton wrote his first table of atomic weights in his daily logbook. In 1830, he stated his most well-known quote (at the top of this webpage). Tw
