The Discovery of the Electron by J.J. Thomson

In 1897, J.J. Thomson discovered the electron, the first subatomic particle identified.
He used cathode ray tubes to observe tiny, negatively charged particles in atoms.
Thomson showed that electrons are much smaller than atoms but carry electric charge.
His work challenged the idea that atoms were indivisible.
He proposed the “plum pudding” model, where electrons float within a positively charged sphere.
Thomson’s discovery laid the foundation for modern atomic physics.
He received the 1906 Nobel Prize in Physics for his investigations of electrical conduction in gases.
Thomson’s research led directly to later models by Rutherford, Bohr, and others.
His experiments revealed that electricity is carried by discrete particles, not just continuous currents.
The discovery of the electron revolutionized chemistry, physics, and technology, from electronics to quantum theory.