Final answer:
Ernest Rutherford first proposed the model of an atom with a proton surrounded by electrons, known as Rutherford's model, which is characterized by a dense, positively charged nucleus orbited by negatively charged electrons.
Step-by-step explanation:
The model of an atom consisting of a proton surrounded by several electrons was first proposed by Ernest Rutherford. Rutherford's model of the atom was a result of his experiments which led him to the conclusion that atoms have a central nucleus. His model described the atom as a tiny, dense, positively charged nucleus with the majority of the mass of the atom, surrounded by lighter, negatively charged electrons. In this planetary model of the atom, electrons orbit the nucleus similar to how planets orbit the sun. Rutherford is credited with the discovery of the atomic nucleus and the identification of the proton as a fundamental particle found in the nucleus.
Therefore, the correct answer to the question, 'A model of an atom consisting of a proton surrounded by several electrons of negative charge. Who first proposed this model?' is b. Rutherford.