When Rutherford found that some of the alpha particles fired at the gold foil were widely deflected, he concluded that
A)gold was an element, not a compound as previously believed.
B)atoms are solid, with spaces between them.
C)atoms are electrically neutral.
D)the positive charge in an atom is concentrated in a tiny nucleus.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Rutherford's observation that some of the alpha particles were deflected at large angles indicated that the positive charge of the atom was concentrated in a small region, which he called the nucleus. This led to the development of the atomic model where the nucleus contains protons and neutrons and is surrounded by electrons. Therefore, option D is the correct choice as Rutherford concluded that the positive charge in an atom is concentrated in a tiny nucleus.

When Rutherford Found That Some of the Alpha Particles Fired