Alpha particles beamed at thin metal foil may

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Alpha particles, when directed at thin metal foil, can exhibit a variety of behaviors: they can pass directly through without changing direction, indicating that much of the foil is empty space; they can be slightly diverted due to the positive charge of the alpha particles being attracted to the negative charge of electrons; and they can be reflected back towards the source if they come into direct contact with the densely packed and positively charged nuclei. This variety of interactions was key to the development of the nuclear model of the atom.

Alpha Particles Beamed at Thin Metal Foil May