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Because it was something they could get very thin.

They wanted to see how atoms interacted with each other... because if some got through and some didn't it would mean there were a lot of spaces between the atoms, but if the foil was too thick it would defeat the purpose.

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What was rutherfords experiment?

he shot tiny alpha particles throug a piece of gold foil. -Apex


Why did Rutherford do the gold foil experiment in a evacuated chamber?

Rutherford conducted the gold foil experiment in an evacuated chamber to reduce interference from air molecules that could affect the path of alpha particles. This ensured a clean environment for the experiment and allowed for more accurate measurements of the scattering of alpha particles by the gold foil, leading to the discovery of the atomic nucleus.


What might happen in geiger and marsden had used magnesium foil insted of gold?

If Geiger and Marsden had used magnesium foil instead of gold in their famous scattering experiment, they would have observed less scattering due to the lighter mass and lower atomic number of magnesium compared to gold. This would have resulted in the alpha particles penetrating the foil with less deflection, leading to different conclusions about the structure of the atom.


How did Rutherfords work help form the presentday model of the atom?

His experiment with the gold foil and the beam of positively charged particles proved that the nucleus of the atom is not solid. The beam past through the foil and bounced back. Rutherford's experiment contradicted Thomson's theory that an atom is solid.


In Rutherfords gold foil experiment some of the aimed at gold atoms bounced back suggesting that a solid mass was at the center of the atom?

In Rutherford's gold foil experiment, some of the Alpha particles aimed at gold atoms bounced back, suggesting that a solid mass was at the center of the atom.They suggested that most of the mass of the atom is concentrated at the center and the center is positively charged.

Related Questions

Was Rutherfords theory tested and published?

yes it was tested by the gold foil experiment


What was ernest rutherfords's experiment?

he shot tiny alpha particles throug a piece of gold foil.


In Rutherfords gold foil experiment particles in dense atomic nuclei caused some alpha particles to bounce straight back from the gold foil.?

positive


What did Rutherfords gold foil experiment help him conclude?

That the mass of an atom is mostly located in a small nucleus.


What materials are needed for rutherfords gold foil experiment?

For Rutherford's gold foil experiment, you will need the following materials: thin gold foil, alpha particles, a source for the alpha particles, a fluorescent screen or detector to observe the scattered particles, and a vacuum chamber to prevent air molecules from interfering with the experiment.


What did ernest rutherfords gold foil experiment demonstrate about atoms?

The conclusion was that an atom has a nucleus (center) with a positive charge.


What is the purpose of Earnest Rutherfords gold-foil experiment?

to find out if all element has the same mass or can pass through the tin foil in other words not all passed through


How did Rutherford's alpha scattering experiment show that Thomson's plum pudding model of the atom incorrect?

Rutherfords experiment proved the existence of a nucleus as some alpha particles "bounced back" from the gold foil sample . Thomson model did not involve a nucleus and predicted just a slight deflection or none at all.


Why is Rutherford's experiment called the gold foil experiment?

In the experiment, Rutherford found the nucleus using gold foil.because he used a thin sheet of gold foil.Because he used a gold foil (the only metal that can be hammered into a 1 atom thick foil without tearing) in an attempt to scatter alpha particles.The unexpected result that instead of all of the alpha particles scattering through small forward angles, a few bounced almost directly back to the source. This made the Thompson "plum pudding" model of the atom unworkable and suggested that each atom had a tiny "infinitely hard" kernel somewhere inside it. Rutherford named this kernel the nucleus.


What was rutherfords experiment?

he shot tiny alpha particles throug a piece of gold foil. -Apex


What caused the deflection of the alpha particles in Rutherfords gold foil experiment?

A zinc sulfide coated screen surrounding the gold foil produced a flash of light whenever it was struck by an alpha particle. By noting where the flash occurred, the scientists could determine if the atoms in the gold foil deflected the alpha particles.


What caused deflection in rutherfords gold foil experiment?

The positively charged nucleus caused deflection. Positive charge is because of protons inside nucleus.