Final answer:
Rutherford's alpha particle scattering experiment revealed that the nucleus of an atom is small, dense, and contains most of the atom's mass. Electrons and protons have different masses, with the majority of the mass concentrated in the nucleus.
Step-by-step explanation:
Rutherford's alpha particle scattering experiment provided direct evidence for the size and mass of the nucleus of an atom. Based on his experiment, Rutherford concluded that the atom is mostly empty space, with a small, dense nucleus at the center. He reasoned that since most alpha particles passed through the gold foil, the atom must be mostly empty, while the deflected particles indicated the presence of a powerful force within the atom, which he called the nucleus.
Therefore, the conclusion regarding the structure of the atom based on Rutherford's experiment is that electrons and protons do not have similar masses. Instead, the majority of the mass of the atom is concentrated in the nucleus, which is composed of protons and neutrons. The electron, on the other hand, is much lighter and occupies the mostly empty space around the nucleus.