In the scattering of fast alpha particles by a thin foil of gold, Rutherford and his collaborators observed
A) alpha particles interacting with nuclei to produce beta rays and alpha particles moving equally in all directions.
B) cathode rays emerging from the foil.
C) most of the alpha particles bouncing straight back with very few passing through the foil undisturbed.
D) a very few alpha particles scattered through large angles with most undergoing very little scattering.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Rutherford and his collaborators observed that most of the alpha particles underwent very little scattering, but a very few alpha particles were scattered through large angles, indicating that they had interacted with a very dense, positively-charged region within the gold atoms. This led to the discovery of the atomic nucleus.

In the Scattering of Fast Alpha Particles by a Thin