Which best describes the effect of J. J. Thomson’s discovery?

J.J. Thomson's discovery of the electron in 1897 had a profound impact on the understanding of atomic structure.

Thomson's experiment, known as the cathode ray tube experiment, demonstrated the existence of particles with a negative charge, which were later identified as electrons.

This discovery contributed to the development of the "plum pudding" model of the atom.

The "plum pudding" model suggested that atoms were composed of a positively charged "pudding" with negatively charged electrons (the "plums") embedded within it, distributed throughout the atom. While this model was later replaced by the more accurate Rutherford model and eventually the modern atomic model, Thomson's discovery of the electron was groundbreaking.

It provided experimental evidence for the existence of subatomic particles within atoms, challenging previous ideas of the atom as an indivisible, uniform sphere.

Thomson's work laid the foundation for further advancements in atomic theory and our understanding of the structure of matter.