The molecules that make up matter consist of atoms. However, what are atoms made of? Are they small cells, or are they there? Anything short? In the late 1800s, many scientists were interested in similar questions the most important discovery was the electrical discharges that could be produced in low-pressure gases, English physicist J. J. Thomson was using the cathode ray tube. This apparatus consists of a sealed glass tube almost all air is removed; the tube has two metal electrodes. When a high voltage is applied across electrodes, between which a visible beam called the cathode ray appears. This beam is deflected Positive charge and away from negative charge, and produced in the same way with similar properties when different metals are used for the electrodes. In similar experiments, the beam is diffracted simultaneously by the applied magnetic field and the extent of deflection and measurements of the permitted magnetic field strength to calculate the charge-to-mass ratio of Thomson cathode ray particles. The results of these measurements this suggests that these particles are much lighter than atoms.