Explain Rutherford's alpha particle scattering experiment and what it provided evidence for

The experiment involved firing alpha particles at thin gold foil, where the number of alpha particles scattered at various angles were counted using a detector. This provided evidence for the existence, charge and small size of the nucleus.The fact that most alpha particles passed straight through unscattered suggested that the atom is mostly empty space. The fact that some were scattered through large angles > 90 degrees suggested that the nucleus has positive charge concentrated in a tiny central nucleus. This is because alpha particles have a +2 (positive) charge, and like charges repel.

CF

Related Physics A Level answers

All answers ▸

A car is moving along a straight horizontal road, with a constant acceleration. The car passes point A, with a speed of ums(-1). 10 seconds later, passes point B, with a speed of 45 ms(-1). The distance from A to B is 300m. Find u.


Describe how a stationary wave is formed at a boundary?


What is the quark composition of a proton?


A supertanker of mass 4.0 × 10^8 kg, cruising at an initial speed of 4.5 m s^(–1), takes one hour to come to rest. Assume the force slowing down the tanker is constant.