Question

In Rutherford's experiment, a thin gold foil was bombarded with alpha particles. According to Thomson's "plum-pudding" model of the atom, what should have happened?

• A. All the alpha particles would have been deflected by the foil
• B. Alpha particles should have become embedded in the foil
• C. Alpha particles should have passed through the foil with little or no deflection
• D. All the alpha particles should have reflected straight back from the foil

Answer 1

The correct option is C Alpha particles should have passed through the foil with little or no deflection

In Rutherford's experiment, fast moving alpha particles were made to fall into a thin gold foil. According to Thomson's "plum-pudding model", atoms are made up of electrons embedded in a positively charged cloud. Alpha particles should have passed through the foil with little or no deflection because the diffused, massless positive charge cloud will not pose any obstacle to the fast moving heavy alpha particle beam.