Question

Summarize the experiment carried out by Rutherford that led to the discovery of the nucleus.

a) Rutherford's experiment involved the gold foil, and the results showed that atoms have a dense, positively charged nucleus at their center.
b) Rutherford's experiment involved the cathode ray tube, and the results showed that electrons are distributed uniformly throughout the atom.
c) Rutherford's experiment involved the oil drop, and the results showed that atoms have a diffuse, negatively charged nucleus at their center.
d) Rutherford's experiment involved the photoelectric effect, and the results showed that atoms have no distinct nucleus.

Answer 1

Rutherford's gold foil experiment involved alpha particles and gold foil, revealing that atoms have a small, dense nucleus. Most particles passed through, suggesting the atom is mostly empty space, but some deflections indicated a dense central region.

Step-by-step explanation:

Rutherford's Gold Foil Experiment

The key experiment that led to the discovery of the nucleus was conducted by Ernest Rutherford, known as the gold foil experiment. This pivotal experiment involved bombarding thin gold foil with alpha particles from a radioactive source. Contrary to the existent plum-pudding model, which assumed mass and charge to be uniformly distributed, Rutherford observed an unexpected pattern: while most alpha particles passed straight through, a few were deflected at large angles, and some even bounced back.

These surprising results couldn't be explained under the then-accepted model. Instead, they indicated that the atom is mostly empty space with a tiny, dense, centrally located region packed with positive charge and most of the atom's mass. This central core was termed the nucleus, fundamentally changing our understanding of atomic structure and displacing the plum-pudding model with what is sometimes referred to as the planetary model of the atom, resembling a miniature solar system.