CEM 141 Chapter Notes - Chapter 1: Antoine Lavoisier, Close-Packing Of Equal Spheres, Systematic Chaos
Document Summary
Space occupied by moving electrons accounts for the vast majority of the volume of an atom. Scientific ideas are logically coherent and make unambiguous observable and generally quantitative predictions. All theories are restricted to natural phenomena. Can be observed and measured directly or indirectly. Ancient greeks developed complex theories about matter and the nature of the universe but they were later disproven. Most greeks believed matter was composed of earth, air, fire, and water. Some believed in a 5th element --quintessence/aether. Leucippus and democritus (460 bce) believed the original 4 elements were composed of tiny indestructible particles. The atoms of different elements were assumed to be different sizes and shapes. Shape gave rise to properties of the particular element. Atoms of earth were thought to be cubic; close packing made them solid and difficult to move. Atoms were thought to be in constant motion.
