This song follows the development of the atomic model from Democritus and Leucippus through Dalton, Thompson, Rutherford, Bohr right through to the quantum-mechanical model. Music and lyrics copyright 2005 by Mark Rosengarten. All rights reserved. Lyrics: Long ago, two Greeks were consuming grapes and wine They had a great idea that was really, really fine If you took a substance and divided it enough Eventually you get the smallest particle of stuff! 1800, Dalton said the atom is a sphere It cannot be divided any smaller, do not fear! He did a lot of work with pressure made by gas And said that atoms of each element had different mass! Atomos, Atomos! Everythings made of you You permeate the universe and everything we do! You are really small, and although we cannot see Through many years of science we know that you must be! In 1897, J. J. Thompson, cathode rays He noticed they deflected when a charge was in their way They must be made of particles that have a minus charge He called these things electrons and said that theyre not large! Said the atom was a sphere both positive and diffuse With negative electrons which then could be pried loose The atoms NOT indivisible, its made of smaller stuff But not even this amazing fact would prove to be enough! In 1911, Ernest Rutherford did prove Through a piece of gold foil, alpha particles could move Some of them deflected, but most just went right through So what was his deduction from the way these alphas flew? The atoms mostly empty space with a nucleus within And around this empty space electrons did their spin This is very close to the model used today But then Niels Bohr came in with something else to say Atomos, Atomos! Everythings made of you You permeate the universe and everything we do! You are really small, and although we cannot see Through many years of science we know that you must be! Bohr said that the electrons have certain energies That are divided into levels like a ladder if you please If electrons are excited, they will move up high And when they fall back down, photons of light will fly! Many other scientists have built on this idea And now Quantum Mechanics has started its career Electrons have sublevels and orbitals as well That are a lot more intricate than Bohrs electron shells Atoms, Atoms! We know that you exist Through centuries of science the concept still persists You are really small, and although we cannot see The model keeps developing towards reality.