Final answer:
Thomson's experiments and discoveries led to the development of the plum pudding model of the atom, which challenged the belief in indivisible atoms and provided evidence for subatomic particles.
Step-by-step explanation:
Thomson's Experiment: Mass to Charge Ratio
In 1897, the British physicist J.J. Thomson proved that atoms were not the most basic form of matter. He demonstrated that cathode rays consist of charged particles, which are now called electrons. Thomson calculated the mass-to-charge ratio of these particles and concluded that electrons were fundamental components of all atoms. His work on electrons led to the development of the plum pudding model of the atom, where electrons were embedded in a uniform sphere of positive charge.
In retrospect, Thomson's experiments and discoveries were groundbreaking, as it was previously believed that the atom was indivisible. Thomson's model challenged this notion and provided evidence for the existence of subatomic particles.