Source of Alpha Particles in Rutherford Scattering Experiment

The Alpha Particle
- An alpha particle is a type of ionizing radiation that consists of two protons and two neutrons, which is essentially the same as a helium nucleus.
- It is positively charged and relatively heavy compared to other particles.

The Rutherford Scattering Experiment
- The Rutherford scattering experiment was conducted by physicist Ernest Rutherford in 1910.
- The experiment aimed to investigate the structure of the atom and provided evidence for the existence of a dense atomic nucleus.
- Rutherford directed a beam of alpha particles at a thin gold foil and observed the scattering pattern of the particles after they passed through the foil.
- The experiment was conducted to test the prevailing Thomson atomic model, which proposed that the atom was a uniform sphere of positive charge with electrons embedded within it.

Source of Alpha Particles
- In the Rutherford scattering experiment, the source of the alpha particles was a radioactive material called radium.
- Radium is an element that undergoes radioactive decay, emitting alpha particles as part of the decay process.
- Rutherford used a sample of radium as the source of alpha particles in his experiment.

Choice 'B' - Helium Nucleus
- The correct answer to the question is option 'B' - Helium nucleus.
- An alpha particle is essentially a helium nucleus, consisting of two protons and two neutrons.
- Since radium undergoes radioactive decay and emits alpha particles, the source of these particles in the Rutherford scattering experiment is indeed a helium nucleus.

Explanation:
- The Rutherford scattering experiment utilized alpha particles emitted by radium as the source of particles.
- The choice 'B' - Helium nucleus is correct because an alpha particle is essentially a helium nucleus.
- The other options, such as neon nucleus and hydrogen nucleus, are not correct sources of alpha particles in this experiment.