Rutherford Scattering (OCR GCSE Physics A, Combined (Gateway Science Suite)): Quizzes

In which year did Rutherford realize that most of the atom was empty space?

1911

What did most $\alpha$ particles do in the gold foil experiment?

Went straight through

What did the fact that most $\alpha$ particles went straight through show about the atom?

Most of it is empty space

What happened to some $\alpha$ particles in the gold foil experiment?

They were slightly deflected

What did the slight deflection of some $\alpha$ particles indicate about the nucleus?

It must be charged

By what angle were a few $\alpha$ particles deflected in the gold foil experiment?

90°

What did large angle deflections (>90°) show about the nucleus?

It contained most of the mass

Who carried out the gold foil experiment?

Geiger and Marsden

In which year was the Rutherford model of the atom proposed?

1913

What is at the center of the atom according to the Rutherford model?

A positive nucleus

Where are negative electrons in the Rutherford model?

In a cloud around the nucleus