Question

Rutherford's $\alpha$-scattering experiment led to the following conclusion(s):

• A. atom has largely completely filled space.
• B. the centre of the atom has negatively charged nucleus.
• C. the size of the nucleus is very small as compared to the size of the atom.
• D. electrons revolve around the proton.

Answer 1

The correct option is C the size of the nucleus is very small as compared to the size of the atom.

Rutherford concluded from the $\alpha$-particle scattering experiment that:

(i) Most of the space inside the atom is empty because most of the -particles passed through the gold foil without getting deflected.
(ii) Very few particles were deflected from their path, indicating that the positive charge of the atom occupies very little space in an atom.
(iii) A very small fraction of -particles were deflected by very large angles, indicating that all the positive charge and mass of the gold atom were concentrated in a very small volume within the atom.

Based on his experiment, Rutherford put forward the nuclear model of an atom, which had the following features:

(i) There is a positively charged centre in an atom called the nucleus. Nearly all the mass of an atom resides in the nucleus.

(ii) The electrons revolve around the nucleus in well-defined orbits.
(iii) The size of the nucleus is very small as compared to the size of the atom.

Hence option C is correct.