Who Discovered Cathode Rays?
Cathode rays were first observed by Julius Plücker in 1858, with further work by Johann Wilhelm Hittorf (1869) and William Crookes (1870s).
| Scientist | Year | Contribution |
|---|---|---|
| Julius Plücker | 1858 | First observed cathode ray glow in evacuated tubes |
| William Crookes | 1870s | Demonstrated their particle nature (Crookes tube) |
| J.J. Thomson | 1897 | Identified particles as electrons — Nobel Prize 1906 |
Discovery of the ray is attributed to Plücker/Crookes; identification of the particle (electron) belongs to J.J. Thomson.