Final answer:
The cathode ray was discovered through experiments by Sir William Crookes and J.J. Thomson. Crookes displayed the first cathode rays and found that they consist of charged particles. Thomson used a cathode ray tube to demonstrate that the rays were actually streams of electrons.
Step-by-step explanation:
The cathode ray was discovered through various experiments conducted by scientists. In 1878, Sir William Crookes displayed the first cathode rays using a modified Geissler apparatus. He found that the rays could be deflected by magnetic or electric fields, indicating that they consist of charged particles. Later, in 1897, J.J. Thomson used a cathode ray tube to demonstrate that the cathode rays were actually streams of negatively charged particles called electrons.