Question

In Rutherford's $\alpha$-ray scattering experiment method:

(1) Some rays were completely deflected back.

(2) Most of the rays passed straight.

Give reasons for the above observations.

Answer 1

In Rutherford's $\alpha$-ray scattering experiment some of the rays were completely deflected due to the presence of an unknown mass in the center which was later discovered as the nucleus.

Most of the $\alpha$- particles passed straight through the foil without suffering any deflection. This shows that most of the space inside the atom is empty or hollow.