MediumChemistryHigh School (9–10)GeneralStructure of the Atom › Subatomic Particles and Atomic ModelsNumerical
In one gold foil experiment, about 1 alpha particle in 8000 bounces back.
Contributed by StemPy LabTry it on paper first. A hint, the key idea and the worked solution are here when you need them.
In one gold foil experiment, about alpha particle in bounces back.
- About how many bounce back if alpha particles are fired?
- And if are fired?
- In (a), how many pass through or are turned only a little?
Need a reminder? The key ideaShow
In the gold foil experiment, most alpha particles passed straight through, a few were turned, and a very few bounced back. So an atom is mostly empty space, with a tiny, heavy, positive nucleus at its centre. The atom is about times wider than its nucleus.
The worked solution
Have you tried it?
Work it out on paper first. It is fine to get stuck or make a mistake: that is how we learn. When you are ready, go through the solution one step at a time, and check each step against your own.
Step 1. (a) particles bounce back.
Step 2. (b) particles bounce back.
Step 3. (c) particles get through.
Answer: (a) about . (b) about . (c) .
What it shows. Almost every particle misses the nucleus, so the nucleus must be tiny.
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