Final answer:
Rutherford's gold foil experiment was critical in the development of the atomic model by discovering the nucleus and proposing that atoms are mostly empty space with a central nucleus.The answer is option B)
Step-by-step explanation:
Ernest Rutherford's experiments significantly advanced our understanding of atomic structure. His famous gold foil experiment demonstrated that atoms have a small, dense, positively charged center, which he called the nucleus. The experiment involved firing alpha particles at a thin sheet of gold foil. Most alpha particles passed through the gold foil unimpeded, but some were deflected at large angles. This observation was inconsistent with the then-accepted plum pudding model of the atom, which posited that positive charge was diffused throughout the atom mixed with electrons. Rutherford's findings led him to propose a new model where the atom is mostly empty space with electrons orbiting a central nucleus, similar to planets orbiting the sun. This was a significant step forward from J.J. Thomson's model and laid the groundwork for the modern understanding of the atom's structure.
In conclusion, the correct answer to how Rutherford and his experiment played a role in the atom is B. Rutherford's experiment led to the development of the atomic model, not to the discovery of electrons, the confirmation of neutrons, or being the only experiment he conducted on the atom.