3.1.5

Alpha Particles

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The Scattering of Alpha Particles

Ernest Rutherford discovered the nucleus by firing a beam of alpha particles at thin metal foils (only a few atoms wide).

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Rutherford's experiment

  • Most alpha particles passed straight through the foil.
  • This suggested that most of the atom is made up of empty space.
  • However, some particles bounced back towards the source.
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Rutherford's conclusions

  • The large deflections suggested that some positively charged mass in the atom was repelling the particles.
  • This led to the model of the atom with negatively charged electrons orbiting a positively charged nucleus.

Jump to other topics

1Energy

2Electricity

3Particle Model of Matter

4Atoms & Radiation

5Forces

5.1Basics of Motion

5.2Forces

5.3Effects of Forces

5.4Pressure

6Waves

7Magnetism

8Astrophysics

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