Models of the Electron
David L. Bergman
Keywords: Electron, Fundamental particles, J J Thomson
Before the end of the 19th century, J. J. Thomson was able to demonstrate the existence of a small particle that is named the electron. It has a small and definite amount of electric charge and a small and definite amount of inertial mass. Leading scientists of the day promptly developed models for the electron and performed experiments to validate their ideas. The classical physicists believed that the electrical particle they discovered was a fundamental building block of matter?what we would call an elementary particle; and that electrons were contained in ordinary objects that we observe every day.
