Drawbacks of Dalton’s Atomic Theory

Scientists have been trying to discover what composes matter for a long time. At the beginning of the 19 th century, an English scientist named John Dalton presented the Atomic Theory that attempted to explain the composition of matter and formed the basis for the study of chemistry. This was called Dalton’s Atomic Theory.According to Dalton’s atomic theory, all substances are composed of atoms. 

Dalton’s Atomic Theory

• In 1808, John Dalton proposed the well-known Dalton’s Atomic Theory. This theory was published in a paper titled “A New Chemical Philosophy”; the philosophy was indeed novel at the time
• It asserted that all matter was made up of small, indestructible particles known as ‘atoms.’
• Dalton’s atomic theory was the first comprehensive attempt to explain all matter in terms of atoms and their properties
• It was founded on mass conservation and constant composition principles.

Postulates of Dalton’s Theory

• Atoms are particles that cannot be further divided and that constitute matter.
• The characteristics of the atoms of the same elements are the same, this is inclusive of mass. And the masses and properties of atoms of different elements differ. This entails Atoms of same element = same mass whereas Atoms of different element = different mass
• Compounds are the result of combining atoms from distinct elements.
• When a chemical reaction happens, there are no atoms created or destroyed. This means atoms’ creation or destruction does not happen in a chemical reaction.
• Reactant and compound are the outcomes of reshuffling of the atoms that already exists
• Masses and other Properties both (Chemical and Physical) are same in atoms of the same element and differ in the case of different elements.

Drawbacks of Dalton’s Atomic Theory

Though Dalton’s Atomic Theory explained the concept of atoms in great detail, it was not without limitations. Moreover, as scientists discovered in further research, though Dalton’s atomic theory was a significant turning point in the field of atomic theory, it had several flaws. The major drawbacks of Dalton’s Atomic Theory are as follows:-

• It has now been established that an atom can be divided, and in doing so, the resultant will be electrons, protons, and neutrons. Still, when the chemical reaction is considered, the atom is regarded as the smallest part
• Dalton’s Theory states that atoms of the same element have similar mass, dimensions, and other properties. However, in practice, it is observed that there is a difference in the density and mass of these elements. When the mass of atoms differs, it is referred to as isotopes
• According to the Atomic Theory presented by Dalton, there is a difference in mass, dimensions and other properties of atoms of varied elements. It is observed that this does not always hold true
• This theory states that chemical compounds are formed when the atoms of different elements integrate as whole-number ratios. However, this is not the case when we consider complex organic compounds
• Dalton’s Atomic Theory does not explain the occurrence of allotropes. It means that the Dalton atomic theory cannot account for the differences in properties between graphite, charcoal, and diamond (all allotropes of carbon)
• According to Dalton’s Atomic Theory, the tiniest part of an atom can be included in a chemical reaction. Some hypotheses of his theory still hold true. 

Conclusion

Dalton’s atomic theory was the first thorough attempt to characterise all matter in terms of atoms and their properties. Though it was a significant step forward in chemistry, it was not without its drawbacks and limitations, which other scientists rectified.