Theories of Matter Throughout History

Matter was considered to be anything solid out of which tools could be made. This was mainly rocks and bones, because the cavemen didn't have much use for a more sophisticated theory of matter.

Early chemists produced valuable metals such as gold and copper.

Chemists experimented with metals and found that the heating of copper produced bronze,which was then used as material for tools

Iron was combined with carbon to make steel for stronger tools. It was also in this time period that the Hittites first discovered how to extract iron from rocks and melt it into pots and pans.

Democratis- Believed that all matter could be divided into tiny, indivisible bits called "atomos"
Aristotle- Believed that everything was made up of a mixture of water, earth fire and air.

Alchemists were the first modern chemists, although they weren't scientists. They believed it was possible to change metal into gold, and this was their main goal. They conducted the first chemistry experiments.

Boyle experimented with gasses and what happened to them under pressure. it as through these experiments that eh concluded that matter was made of tiny particles, which is a major part of out modern theory of matter.

Named "The Father of Modern Chemistry, he developed a system for naming elements. He named both Hydrogen and Oxygen, predicted silicon and was one of the first to establish sulphur as an element rather than a compound.

Dalton was the first person to define elements as pure substances. e also came up with the "billiard ball" model of an atom, which was the first theory of atomic structure. He also did research into colour-blindness, which is sometimes called daltonism in his honour.

Thomson discovered electrons and first developed the "Raisin Bun" or "Plum Pudding" model of an atom. This showed the atom as a positive sphere with electrons (negative charges) embedded in it. He was awarded the 1906 Nobel Prize for his work.