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When He²⁺ particles were fired at a thin sheet of gold, about 1 in 8000 of the particles were detected at point Q - AQA - A-Level Chemistry - Question 8 - 2018 - Paper 3
Question 8
When He²⁺ particles were fired at a thin sheet of gold, about 1 in 8000 of the particles were detected at point Q. Gold sheet Q He²⁺ source What conclusion can b... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:When He²⁺ particles were fired at a thin sheet of gold, about 1 in 8000 of the particles were detected at point Q - AQA - A-Level Chemistry - Question 8 - 2018 - Paper 3
Step 1
What conclusion can be drawn from the detection of He²⁺ particles at point Q?
Answer
The fact that only about 1 in 8000 He²⁺ particles were detected at point Q indicates that most of the particles passed through the gold sheet without significant deflection. This suggests that gold atoms have a small, positively charged nucleus, which does not significantly affect the majority of passing particles. Thus, the most appropriate conclusion is:
A: Gold atoms have a small, positive nucleus.