The Significance of Rutherford's Scattering Experiment in Atomic Theory
What was the key discovery made in Rutherford's scattering experiment?
a. Heavy alpha particles were fired at a collection of gold atoms. Most of them passed through, but some of them bounced at strangely narrow angles (indicating that they bounced off of something very diffuse).
b. Heavy alpha particles were fired at a collection of gold atoms. Most of them passed through, but some of them bounced at strangely wide angles (indicating that they bounced off of something very heavy and small).
c. Light weight beta particles were fired at a collection of gold atoms. Most of them passed through, but some of them bounced at strangely wide angles (indicating that they bounced off of something with medium weight and small).
d. Light particles were fired at a collection of gold atoms. Most of them passed through, but some of them bounced at strangely wide angles and changed wavelength (indicating that photons exist).
Answer:
Rutherford's scattering experiment yielded that heavy alpha particles were fired at a collection of gold atoms. Most of them passed through, but some of them bounced at strangely wide angles (indicating that they bounced off of something very heavy and small). Hence, the correct answer is option b.
Rutherford's Scattering Experiment: A Breakthrough in Atomic Theory
Rutherford's scattering experiment, also known as the gold foil experiment, holds a pivotal place in the history of atomic theory. Conducted in 1911 by Ernest Rutherford, this experiment revolutionized our understanding of the structure of the atom.
The experiment involved firing heavy alpha particles at a thin gold foil to investigate the distribution of positive charge within the atom. Prior to this experiment, the prevailing model, known as the Thomson model, suggested that the positive charge was uniformly spread throughout the atom.
However, the results of Rutherford's experiment were unexpected. While most alpha particles passed through the foil as predicted, some were deflected at wide angles, indicating they interacted with a concentrated positive charge in a small, dense nucleus within the atom. This ground-breaking discovery challenged the prevailing model and gave rise to the nuclear model of the atom.
This experiment showcased that atoms are mostly empty space with a dense nucleus at the center, contrary to the earlier assumption of a diffuse positive charge. The implications of Rutherford's scattering experiment reshaped atomic theory and set the stage for further advancements in the field.