J.J. Thomson

Thomson’s most important line of work, interrupted only for lectures at Princeton University in 1896, was that which led him in 1897 to the conclusion that all matter, whatever its source, contains particles of the same kind that are much less massive than the atoms of which they form a part. They are now called electrons, although he originally called them corpuscles. His discovery was the result of an attempt to solve a long-standing controversy regarding the nature of cathode rays, which occur when an electric current is driven through a vessel from which most of the air or other gas has been pumped out. Nearly all German physicists of the time held that these visible rays were produced by occurrence in the ether—a weightless substance then thought to pervade all space—but that they were neither ordinary light nor the recently discovered X-rays. British and French physicists, on the other hand, believed that these rays were electrified particles. By applying an improved vacuum technique, Thomson was able to put forward a convincing argument that these rays were composed of particles. 

Furthermore, these rays seemed to be composed of the same particles, or corpuscles, regardless of what kind of gas carried the electric discharge or what kinds of metals were used as conductors. Thomson’s conclusion that the corpuscles were present in all kinds of matter was strengthened during the next three years when he found that corpuscles with the same properties could be produced in other ways—e.g., from hot metals. Thomson may be described as “the man who split the atom” for the first time, although “chipped” might be a better word, in view of the size and number of electrons. Although some atoms contain many electrons, the electrons’ total mass is never so much as 1/1,000 that of the atom.

The following video shall expound more about Thomson's Plum Pudding Model.

Courtesy: Mr. Causey