Rutherford’s experimented by bombarding a thin sheet of gold with α-particles and then studied the trajectory of these particles after their interaction with the gold foil.
Conclusions from the experiment
Listed below are the conclusions drawn from Rutherford’s experiment
- Most of the space in an atom is empty
- The space occupied by the positive charge is tiny
- The positive charges and mass of the atom were concentrated in a minimal volume within the atom
- The centre of the atom is called the nucleus
- Electron spin around the nucleus in a circular path
Limitations
Listed below are the limitations of Rutherford’s experiment
- Rutherford’s model was inadequate to explain the stability of an atom.
- It did not mention anything about the arrangement of an electron in orbit.
- As per Rutherford’s model, electrons revolve around the nucleus in a circular path. But particles that are in motion on a circular path would undergo acceleration, and acceleration causes radiation of energy by charged particles. Eventually, electrons should lose energy and fall into the nucleus.
good