Discovery of the Electron
The identification of the electron as a subatomic particle, the fundamental unit of electric charge, through experiments with cathode rays.
Core metadata
- ID: electron_discovery
- Era: Industrial
- First known date: 1897 (exact)
- Region: United Kingdom
- Review status: source_checked
- Maturity: N/A
Prerequisites
- Daltonian Atomic Theory (atomic_theory_daltonian)
- Electromagnetism (Maxwell's Equations) (electromagnetism_maxwell)
- Scientific Method (scientific_method)
- Vacuum Technology (Early) (vacuum_technology_early)
Dependents
Fields
- None.
Node sources
- Atom - Discovery of electrons (Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2026, textbook) • Supports: node
Locator: Britannica states that cathode-ray work culminated in J. J. Thomson's discovery of the electron in 1897.
Prerequisite edge evidence
Edge/source evidence summary:
- Prerequisite edges: 4
- Average edge confidence: 70%
- Prerequisite sources: 2
- expert_inference: 4
| Prerequisite | Type | Confidence | Evidence level | Note | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daltonian Atomic Theory (atomic_theory_daltonian) | enabling | 68% | expert_inference | Daltonian Atomic Theory provides a capability that enables this technology without being the only possible path. | No sources recorded. |
| Electromagnetism (Maxwell's Equations) (electromagnetism_maxwell) | enabling | 68% | expert_inference | Electromagnetism (Maxwell's Equations) provides a capability that enables this technology without being the only possible path. |
|
| Vacuum Technology (Early) (vacuum_technology_early) | historical_predecessor | 75% | expert_inference | Vacuum Technology (Early) is an earlier historical predecessor or foundation, not a one-to-one engineering dependency. | No sources recorded. |
| Scientific Method (scientific_method) | enabling | 68% | expert_inference | Scientific Method provides a capability that enables this technology without being the only possible path. |
|
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