Question

$I$. During Rutherford's gold foil experiment, a beam of alpha particles was directed at a thin sheet of gold foil. This helped to prove the existence of a nucleus in the atom.

$II$. Most of the positively charged alpha particles were able to pass undeflected through the gold foil.

• A. Statement $I$ is true, Statement $II$ is true
• B. Statement $I$ is true, Statement $II$ is false
• C. Statement $I$ is false, Statement $II$ is true
• D. Statement $I$ is false, Statement $II$ is false

Answer 1

The correct option is A Statement $I$ is true, Statement $II$ is true

In Rutherford's gold foil experiment, beams of alpha particles were bombarded on a thin sheet of gold. Based on the observations, Rutherford drew the following conclusions regarding the structure of the atom :

(i) Most of the space in the atom is empty as most of the α–particles passed through the foil undeflected.

(ii) A few positively charged α– particles were deflected. The deflection must have been due to enormous repulsive force, showing that the positive charge of the atom is not spread throughout the atom. The positive charge has to be concentrated in a very small volume that repelled and deflected the positively charged α– particles.

Option A is correct as both statements are true.