While atoms themselves were not "discovered" by a single person, the understanding of their structure and the particles within them evolved through the work of many scientists. It's more accurate to ask what was discovered within the atom.
Here's a breakdown of discoveries related to the atom's components:
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Electrons: J.J. Thomson is credited with the discovery of the electron in 1897. He showed that cathode rays were composed of negatively charged particles, which he initially called "corpuscles" but were later known as electrons.
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Protons: Ernest Rutherford is generally credited with discovering the proton. In his gold foil experiment, he observed that some alpha particles were deflected at large angles, suggesting the presence of a small, dense, positively charged nucleus within the atom. He later identified the positively charged particle as the proton.
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Neutrons: James Chadwick discovered the neutron in 1932. He demonstrated the existence of a neutral particle with a mass similar to that of the proton. This discovery completed the basic understanding of the atom's structure (protons and neutrons in the nucleus, electrons orbiting the nucleus).
Therefore, answering the question "Who is discovered in atom?" is best addressed by recognizing the major subatomic particles discovered: electrons, protons, and neutrons, and the scientists who discovered them.
