Question

An early model of the atom incorrectly described the structure of the atom as an area of positive charge with small, negatively charged particles. Which of the following correctly describes why the plum pudding model is no longer accepted as an accurate model of the atom?

a) It failed to account for the existence of protons.
b) It did not incorporate the concept of electrons.
c) It did not consider the presence of neutrons.
d) It did not explain the concept of atomic number.

Answer 1

The plum pudding model is outdated because it failed to account for the presence of a dense nucleus and neutrons, as revealed in Rutherford's Experiment.

Step-by-step explanation:

The plum pudding model is no longer accepted as an accurate model of the atom because it failed to explain the results of experimental evidence, particularly from Rutherford's Experiment. This early model described the atom as a sphere of positive charge with embedded electrons - a concept encapsulated by comparing it to a plum pudding, with negatively charged 'plums' (electrons) in a positively charged 'pudding' (atomic mass). However, Rutherford's gold foil experiment demonstrated that atoms have a small, dense, positively charged nucleus rather than a diffuse cloud of positive charge, leading to the rejection of the plum pudding model.

The correct reason why the plum pudding model is no longer accepted is that it did not consider the presence of neutrons and did not account for the nucleus. Consequently, the option (c) 'It did not consider the presence of neutrons' is the most appropriate choice among the provided alternatives.