Question

Rutherford investigated atoms by firing small, positively charged particles at a thin sheet of gold foil. What results would he expect to see if he believed Thomson’s model of the atom to be correct?

Answer 1

If the Thomson's Model was correct the alpha particles would have just pass through without any deflection, but that was not the case as observed from his experiments.

Answer 2

Answer is: Most of the particles would pass through with a few moving at small angles because the atom was a low-density, positive material with electrons in it.

Rutherford demonstrate that J.J Thompson's Plum Pudding model was not accurate.

Rutherford theorized that atoms have their charge concentrated in a very small nucleus.

This was famous Rutherford's Gold Foil Experiment: he bombarded thin foil of gold with positive alpha particles (helium atom particles, consist of two protons and two neutrons).

Rutherford observed the deflection of alpha particles on the photographic film and notice that most of alpha particles passed straight through foil.

That is different from Plum Pudding model, because it shows that most of the atom is empty space.