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Hundred Years of the Atom
A Concept Note for new Radio Serial
“From Atoms to Stars”
Vigyan Prasar
New Delhi 110 016
1 Hundred Years of the Atom - A major Initiative for S&T
popularisation centred around the centenary of the discovery of
the atomic structure
The Concept
The discoveries of the X-rays, radioactivity, the electron, quantum theory, and
relativity during the golden decade 1895-1905 brought about a total revolution in the way we
perceive the nature; and ushered in an era what we today call Modern Science. The
discoveries made during this period gave rise to a spate of discoveries in physical and life
sciences that has made the world we live in today. The discovery of the electron in 1897
prompted the scientists to channelise their efforts to understand the structure of the matter. J.
J. Thomson, the discoverer of the electron, proposed the plum-pudding model of the atom.
However, the discovery of the atomic nucleus by Ernest Rutherford in 1911 established a
dense core (nucleus) at the centre with positive charge and electrons with negative charge
moving around it at very large distances like planets around the Sun. This model had
fundamental flaws as it did not obey the established laws of physics. Niels Bohr resolved this
problem by introducing the concept of stationary orbits, or the orbits in which the electrons
orbited without radiating away energy. This explained the experimental data for the hydrogen
atom extremely well and established the structure of the atom as proposed by him. Later,
contributions of Wolfgang Pauli with his exclusion principle put the Bohr’s theory of the
atomic structure on a firm footing. This breakthrough could explain aspects like atomic
levels, spectra of various elements, electronic configurations in various atoms and the
periodic table, chemical reactions, and as a result helped unravel phenomena in life sciences
as well. The structure of DNA could be established only through a thorough understanding of
atomic and molecular properties.
Development of quantum mechanics and its applications to atomic phenomena in
1930s opened up new vistas and contributed to technologies that have become a part of our
daily life. It would not have been possible to develop transistors, lasers, television, atomic
reactors, computers, genetically modified crops, MRI, or new drugs without a proper
understanding of atoms of various elements and their physical/chemical properties. It may be
realized that in any natural phenomenon, or in any laboratory application, it is the disciplines
like physics, chemistry and biology that come into play in an integrated manner, but it is the
atom and its structure that is central to it. Hundred years of the atom have seen a sea change
in the world we live in, the way we perceive the nature, and the consequent emergence of
new technologies that have completely transformed the world.
The year 2013 that marked the centennial of the discovery of the atom as we know
today presents us with yet another great opportunity to take science to the people. It has the
potential to include not only the advances that have taken place in the field of atomic physics,
but also in chemistry, biology, astronomy etc; and the development of modern technologies
2 in many other fields like agriculture, medicine, space sciences, communication, and so on. It
also presents an opportunity to develop a variety of software on of scientific concepts, their
applications to various fields, and the technologies that came into being based on those
concepts over the last hundred years. Hence the proposed radio serial “ From Star to Atom
“ has a very wide scope in disseminating scientific information to the students and the
general public, and presenting the scientific method that made those discoveries or
technologies possible; and help in inculcating scientific spirit .
Objectives of the Radio Serial
•
Communicate to the general public how our perception of the natural phenomena
has changed ever since the discovery of the atomic structure in 1913; and the
progress in science and the advances in technology that have taken place ever since.
•
Popularise science and technology (S&T) in general through activities related to
various atomic phenomena.
•
Develop a network of listener’s clubs in schools or outside the schools / institutions
to disseminate the scientific information related to the conceptual development and
understanding of the atomic structure and phenomena, along with advances in
related technologies.
Target group(s)
The target group would essentially consist of students, teachers at higher secondary/college
levels and the general public.
3 Radio Serial: 26 episodes: “From Atoms to Stars”
Episode 1:- Introduction-Curtain Raiser
Episode 2:- Atoms - The building blocks of matter: Ideas of Greeks and Indians about
atoms, their sizes and how they can explain the physical properties / processes like pressure,
temperature, winds, evaporation, rain etc. How the concept of atom can explain the gross
properties of matter like the three phases of matter, elasticity, friction, surface tension and
capillarity, crystalline structures, liquid crystals used in displays etc.
Episode 3:- Discovery of the Atom: Discovery of the electron and the plum-pudding model
of J J Thomson (1897), discovery of the atomic nucleus through alpha scattering experiments
of Ernest Rutherford (1911) and the atomic model proposed by him, difficulties of the
Rutherford model
Episode 4:- Atoms as we know today: Bohr model of the atom (1913), Bohr’s postulates of
stationary orbits, How it correctly explained the Hydrogen spectrum through application of
Planck’s quantum theory.
Episode 5:- Pauli’s exclusion principle and filling up of orbits in successive “shells” in Bohr
atom, emission or absorption of energy during transitions between two energy levels
Episode 6:- Into the atom - Structure of the nucleus, heavy nuclei, radioactivity,
Episode 7:- Interaction programme: Question – Answer
Episode 8:- Mendeleev's periodic table of elements - Grouping of elements according to
their chemical properties.
Episode 9:- Modern periodic table - Why do we have elements with similar properties, of
elements, spectra of elements.
Episode 10:- Atoms and Electricity: How atoms are responsible for static and current
electricity, conductors, insulators, semiconductors and superconductors, origin of magnetism.
Episode 11:- Chemical reactions - How atoms combine to make compounds, atoms and
molecules.
Episode 12:- Inorganic molecules and Organic molecule for living beings, firewood, coal,
petroleum etc.
Episode 13:- Molecules that changed our lives: Important molecules (compounds)
synthesized in the lab and their applications for various purposes – medicine
Episode 14:- Food and agriculture, pesticides
Episode 15:- Interaction programme: Question - Answer
Episode 16:- Petroleum products, industry.
4 Episode 17:- Genetically modified crops etc
Episode 18:- Nanotechnology – Manipulating individual atoms and molecules. What is
nanotechnology? Its applications.
Episode 19:- Promise of nanotechnology in revolutionising our lives almost in every aspect.
Episode 20:- Fission and fusion and production of nuclear energy, nuclear reactors
Episode 21:- Energy production in stars
Episode 22:- Stellar spectra - How the spectra of the atoms in a star’s atmosphere help us
learn about its composition and its physical properties, red-shift and the expansion of the
universe .
Episode 23:- Is anybody out there? - Possibility of life on planets of other stars – exoplanets.
Episode 24:- Conditions necessary for life to exist on exoplanets, a few candidates that hold
some promise for the existence of life
Episode 25:- Hundred Years of the Atom - Summarising the Hundred Years of the Atom.
How the application of quantum mechanics and advances in technology hold further
transformation of the world and our lives. How superconductivity, quantum computing, space
science and technology, biotechnology and nanotechnology could change the face of the
world.
Episode 26:- Concluding episode – question answer
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