i need help finding it!
2007-01-10 13:30:07 · 5 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Chemistry
Rutherford was using that test to see if the Thomson "plum pudding" model of the atom was accurate.
Rutherford discovered that Thomson's model was incorrect. He discovered that there was a tiny nucleus in the center of the atom which contained all the positive charges of the atom.
(HE DID NOT DISCOVER NEUTRONS! THEY WERE DISCOVERED MUCH LATER BY CHADWICK.) The rest of the atom was empty space until you reach the electrons on the outer edges of the atom.
2007-01-10 13:40:55 · answer #1 · answered by physandchemteach 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Rutherford conducted the gold foil experiment becasue he was trying to prove Thomson's atomic model correct. So he fired alpha particles at a piece of gold foil. Surrounding that was a special piece of film that would allow him to find the alpha particles. However, when he conducted the experiment he found that Thomson's theory was incorrect and that there was a nucleus in the middle with some mass to it, because some of the alpha particles bounced straight back at him. If Thomson was correct then the particles should have gone straight through without interference because there were only supposed to be small massed particles in the atom.
2007-01-10 13:46:52 · answer #2 · answered by smartguy41090 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Rutherford wanted to test what was inside the atom.He found out about the neucleus in the center of the atoms.
2007-01-10 13:35:27 · answer #3 · answered by scawsome 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Rutherford was working with radioactive substances purposefully and SURPRISE the alpha particle rebounded and he discovered the nucleus.
2007-01-10 13:41:04 · answer #4 · answered by b 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
to calculate the density of an atom and estimate the size and mass of an atom's nucleus.
he found that the nucleus only took up like as much space in an atom as a grain of sand in the earth...
2007-01-10 13:38:26 · answer #5 · answered by Trevor Smith 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋