In Rutherfords experiment why wouldn't the electrons in the atoms of the gold foil affect the paths of the alpha particles?

Answer 1

Electrons are so small that they have no affect. The alpha particles were 2 protons and 2 neutrons being shot thru, even though the electrons have a negative charge..they are so small and take up so little space, the alpha particles probably n ever even came near them.

Answer 2

In Rutherford's experiment, the electrons in the atoms of the gold foil don't affect the paths of the alpha particles significantly because electrons are much lighter and smaller than alpha particles, and they carry a negative charge which tends to repel the positively charged alpha particles. The vast majority of the alpha particles pass through the gold foil without any significant deflection due to their interactions with the positively charged nucleus.

Answer 3

An alpha particle is a stripped nucleus (of a helium atom) and is more than a thousand times as massive as an electron. Think of a train running over a tonka toy.

Answer 4

Because the size of the electrons relative to that of the alpha nucleus is too small to affect the attractive/repulsive forces.

Answer 5

Most of the alpha particles passed through the foil as most of the nucleus is just empty space.