In 1911 Ernest Rutherford did a famous experiment using fast-moving alpha particles as bullets and very thin gold foil as a target. The results of this experiment showed that:
A) the negative and positive charges were all spread out throughout the volume of each atom
B) that the absorption spectrum of gold atoms had more lines than scientists could explain
C) that alpha particles were neutral (demonstrating the existence of neutrons)
D) that the nucleus of an atom was tiny compared to the size of the whole atom
E) it was far better to use cheaper materials than gold for physics experiments

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Rutherford's experiment showed that most of the alpha particles passed straight through the gold foil, but a small fraction were deflected at large angles. This could only be explained if the positive charge of the atom was concentrated in a tiny nucleus at the center, and the rest of the atom was mostly empty space. This discovery revolutionized the understanding of atomic structure and led to the development of the nuclear model of the atom.

In 1911 Ernest Rutherford Did a Famous Experiment Using Fast-Moving