State the observations from the particle scattering experiment which l...
Observations Leading to Rutherford's Conclusions
Rutherford's gold foil experiment revealed key insights about atomic structure. Through careful observation of alpha particle scattering, he drew significant conclusions regarding the nature of the atom.
A. Most Space in an Atom is Empty
- During the experiment, a majority of alpha particles passed straight through the gold foil without any deflection.
- Only a small fraction of the particles were deflected at small angles, indicating that most of the atom's volume is not densely packed.
- This suggested that the atom consists mainly of empty space, allowing particles to travel through without obstruction.
B. Entire Mass of an Atom is Concentrated at its Centre
- A few alpha particles experienced significant deflection, suggesting a concentrated area of mass within the atom.
- The degree of deflection was not consistent; larger deflections indicated a stronger force acting on the particles.
- This led to the conclusion that the mass of the atom is concentrated in a tiny, dense nucleus at its center.
C. Centre is Positively Charged
- The deflected alpha particles, which are positively charged, experienced repulsion when coming close to the nucleus.
- Since like charges repel, the presence of a positive charge at the center of the atom was inferred from this behavior.
- This established the nucleus as not only a point of mass concentration but also as positively charged.
Through these critical observations, Rutherford significantly advanced the understanding of atomic structure, laying the groundwork for modern atomic theory.
State the observations from the particle scattering experiment which l...
Centre is positive charged in atom is called nucleus.
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