What did Rutherford’s experiment prove about the structure of the atom?
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A.
Atoms do not contain any empty space.
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B.
Atoms have a dense, positively charged nucleus.
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C.
Atoms are made only of electrons.
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D.
Atoms are solid throughout.
Correct Answer:
B. Atoms have a dense, positively charged nucleus.
Explanation:
Rutherford’s gold foil experiment demonstrated that most of an atom's mass and its entire positive charge are concentrated in a tiny, central region called the nucleus. By observing that a small fraction of alpha particles were deflected at large angles or bounced back, Rutherford concluded that the atom is not a solid sphere but consists mostly of empty space with a dense, positively charged core. This discovery overturned previous models and established the nuclear structure of the atom.
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