Rutherford’s Gold Foil Experiment in 1909 changed how we think about atoms. Before this experiment, people believed in the "plum pudding" model. This model said that atoms were like a big cloud of positive charge with small, negative electrons mixed in.
What Changed?
Firing Particles: Rutherford shot alpha particles at a very thin piece of gold foil. If the plum pudding model was right, the particles should have gone straight through with only a tiny bit of bending.
Surprising Results: But what happened was shocking! Some particles bounced off in big angles, and a few even came straight back! This was a big surprise and showed that atoms are more complicated than everyone thought.
New Model: Because of these findings, Rutherford created a new way to understand atoms. He suggested that:
Overall, this experiment showed us that atoms are mostly empty space, but they have a heavy center. It changed how we view atomic structure and helped start modern atomic science!
Rutherford’s Gold Foil Experiment in 1909 changed how we think about atoms. Before this experiment, people believed in the "plum pudding" model. This model said that atoms were like a big cloud of positive charge with small, negative electrons mixed in.
What Changed?
Firing Particles: Rutherford shot alpha particles at a very thin piece of gold foil. If the plum pudding model was right, the particles should have gone straight through with only a tiny bit of bending.
Surprising Results: But what happened was shocking! Some particles bounced off in big angles, and a few even came straight back! This was a big surprise and showed that atoms are more complicated than everyone thought.
New Model: Because of these findings, Rutherford created a new way to understand atoms. He suggested that:
Overall, this experiment showed us that atoms are mostly empty space, but they have a heavy center. It changed how we view atomic structure and helped start modern atomic science!