Answer:
In Rutherford’s experiments, alpha particles were used to study the structure of atoms1. In particular, Rutherford and his assistants, Hans Geiger and Ernest Marsden, performed the famous alpha particle scattering experiment1. They directed a beam of alpha particles at a very thin sheet of pure gold2. Alpha particles are helium nuclei (24He2+), and they are given off in various radioactive decay processes2.
The purpose of this experiment was to investigate the structure of the atom and understand how alpha particles interacted with matter1. By observing the scattering patterns of the alpha particles after passing through the gold foil, Rutherford made significant discoveries about the nature of atoms.
One of the key findings from the experiment was that a small percentage of alpha particles were deflected at large angles3. This observation led Rutherford to propose a new model of the atom, known as the nuclear model4. According to this model, atoms have a tiny, dense, positively charged core called a nucleus, around which light, negatively charged electrons circulate at some distance4.
The use of alpha particles in Rutherford’s experiments played a crucial role in advancing our understanding of atomic structure and paved the way for further discoveries in nuclear physics.
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