The Greek philosopher Democritus (460-370 BC) first conceived the idea that an atom is the smallest piece of a substance. Robert Boyle (1627-1691) was the first chemist to recognize the significance of a chemical element. Since that time, the discoveries in physics and chemistry for almost 3 centuries have helped understand the structure of matter and finally established the reality of atoms. In 1990s, various experimental investigations showed that the atoms of each element consist of a massive, compact, positively charged nucleus (with protons and neutrons) surrounded by a diffuse cloud of relatively light, negatively charged electrons. The discovery of radioactivity and the emission of electromagnetic radiations by the atoms, eventually led to the development of the science of nuclear medicine and molecular imaging. A brief history of atom summarized in this chapter pays a tribute to all the extraordinary scientists who discovered the secrets of Nature.
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Additional Reading
Asimov I (1992) Atom. Journey across the subatomic cosmos. Truman Tally Books, New York
Gamow G (1961) The great physicists from Galileo to Einstein. Dover, New York
Limouris GS (2006) From the atomism of Democritus to the therapeutic nuclear medicine today. Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging 33:s65–s68
Pais A (1982) Subtle is the Lord. The science and the life of Albert Einstein. Clarendon, Oxford
Pais A (1991) Niels Bohr's times, in physics, philosophy and polity. Clarendon, Oxford
Segrè E (1980) From x-rays to quarks. Modern physicists and their discoveries. Freeman, New York
Segrè E (1984) From falling bodies to radiowaves. Classical physicists and their discoveries. Freeman, New York
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(2009). Science of Atomism: A Brief History. In: Molecular Imaging. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-76735-0_2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-76735-0_2
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