Photo AI
The diagram shows an arrangement used to investigate the structure of the atom - Leaving Cert Physics - Question d - 2011
Question d
The diagram shows an arrangement used to investigate the structure of the atom. During the investigation, alpha-particles were fired at a thin sheet of gold foil in ... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:The diagram shows an arrangement used to investigate the structure of the atom - Leaving Cert Physics - Question d - 2011
Step 1
What are alpha-particles?
Answer
Alpha-particles are composed of two protons and two neutrons, essentially making them the same as a helium nucleus. They are a type of ionizing radiation and are positively charged, which allows them to interact with matter, potentially leading to significant effects on atoms.
Step 2
What happened to the alpha-particles in the experiment?
Answer
During the experiment, most of the alpha-particles passed straight through the gold foil unhindered. However, some alpha-particles were deflected at small angles, and a few were even reflected back, indicating the presence of a dense, positively charged nucleus within the atom.
Step 3
What did the experiment reveal about the structure of the atom?
Answer
The experiment revealed that the atom is mostly empty space, with a dense, positively charged nucleus located at its center. This challenged the earlier plum pudding model and led to the acceptance of the nuclear model of the atom.
Step 4
Step 5