Final answer:
Rutherford's model of the atom described the nucleus as a positively charged core and electrons orbiting around it like planets. This model helped in understanding the substructure of atoms and contributed to the development of the modern model of the atom.
Step-by-step explanation:
Rutherford's model of the atom, also known as the planetary model, described the atom as a tiny, dense, positively charged core called a nucleus surrounded by lighter, negatively charged electrons.
This model compared the atom to a mini solar system, with electrons orbiting the nucleus like planets orbiting the sun. The significance of Rutherford's model was that it provided evidence for the existence of a nucleus and introduced the concept of the atom having a substructure.
This paved the way for further discoveries about atomic structure and eventually led to the development of the modern model of the atom.