Final answer:
The atom's current model evolved through contributions from scientists such as J.J. Thomson, John Dalton, Marie Curie, and Max Planck, with Thomson discovering the electron, Dalton proposing atoms as indivisible, Curie pioneering research in radioactivity, and Planck initiating quantum theory.
Step-by-step explanation:
Many scientists contributed to our current model of the atom, with significant hypotheses and experiments shaping our understanding over time. J.J. Thomson is credited with the discovery of the electron, proposing the Plum Pudding Model. John Dalton developed an early atomic theory suggesting atoms as the smallest indivisible units of matter. Marie Curie is renowned for her groundbreaking work on radioactivity, enhancing the knowledge of atomic structure. Max Planck initiated the development of quantum theory, which fundamentally revised our conception of atomic behaviors and structures.
Creating a timeline of these scientific advances would show the evolution from Dalton's indivisible sphere model to Thomson's Plum Pudding model, followed by Ernest Rutherford's nuclear atom model, which included a dense central nucleus. This concept was further refined by scientists like Niels Bohr, who proposed electrons orbiting the nucleus at fixed energy levels. These models each contributed foundational knowledge eventually leading to the widely recognized Bohr model and the ongoing quantum mechanical models of the atom.