RUTHERFORD'S

MODEL OF THE ATOM

PRESENTED BY: 1. RAJKUMAR PANDEY

2. ARYA VERMA

3. SHAURYA RANJAN SHINGH

ASSIGNED BY: ARVIND SIR.

Unconvinced by this model, Ernest Rutherford designed the famous Gold Foil Experiment
in 1909. This groundbreaking experiment would challenge everything scientists thought
they knew about atomic structure.

After two years of careful experimentation and analysis, Rutherford introduced his
revolutionary Atomic Model in 1911. His findings would fundamentally change our
understanding of the atom's internal structure and lay the groundwork for modern
atomic theory.
 WHO WAS ERNEST RUTHERFORD?
Ernest Rutherford (1871-1937) was born in rural New Zealand and became one of history's most influential
physicists through his groundbreaking work at McGill University and the University of Manchester.

Known as the "father of nuclear physics," he won the 1908 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his investigations into
radioactive substances and the transmutation of elements.

His most famous achievement came in 1911, when he revolutionized atomic theory by discovering the nuclear
model of the atom, completely overturning Thomson's widely accepted plum pudding model.

Beyond the gold foil experiment, he also discovered alpha and beta radiation, the concept of radioactive half-
life, and was the first to artificially induce nuclear fusion by splitting atoms of nitrogen.
 GOLD FOIL EXPERIMENT
MATERIALS REQUIRED:

• ALPHA PARTICLES(He2+)
• GOLD FOIL
• ZnS SCREEN
In 1909, Ernest Rutherford and his team of
scientists, Hans Geiger and Ernest Marsden,
performed an experiment to study the scattering
of alpha particles. This experiment is known as
the Gold
Experiment Setup:Foil Experiment.

Alpha Particles: They used a radioactive source (radium) that emitted alpha particles (helium nuclei) and directed them toward a thin sheet
of gold foil.

Detection Screen: Around the foil was a fluorescent screen coated with zinc sulfide that would glow when struck by an alpha particle.

Objective: To study how alpha particles behaved when they hit the gold foil and to study about the structure of atoms.

Procedure:

1. The alpha particles were fired at the thin gold foil.

2. Most of the alpha particles passed straight through the foil.

3. Some alpha particles were deflected at small angles.

4. A very few alpha particles were deflected at angles greater than 90 degrees, and some even bounced back.
Observations and Results

The observations from Rutherford's experiment were startling and contrary to the expectations of the "Plum
Pudding Model" by J.J. Thomson. Here are the key observations:

Most Alpha Particles Passed Through: The majority of the alpha particles passed through the gold foil with
no deflection, indicating that atoms are mostly empty space.
Deflections: A small number of alpha particles were deflected by small angles, which suggested the presence
of a concentrated positive charge within the atom.

Bouncing Back: A very few particles were deflected back, indicating that they encountered something very
dense and massive at the center of the atom.
Rutherford’s Atomic Model

Based on these observations, Rutherford proposed a new model for the atom in 1911. His model consisted of
the following key ideas:

Key Points of Rutherford’s Atomic Model:

Nucleus: The atom has a small, dense, positively charged nucleus at its center.
Empty Space: The atom is mostly empty space, with electrons orbiting the nucleus, similar to planets
orbiting the sun.

Electrons: Electrons are scattered in the space surrounding the nucleus but are held in orbit due to the
attractive force between the negatively charged electrons and the positively charged nucleus.

The nucleus contains most of the atom's mass, while the rest of the atom is made up of space where the
electrons are present.
Key Features of Rutherford’s Model

• Nucleus:
• The nucleus is located at the center of the atom.
• It contains positively charged protons and most of the atom’s mass.
• Electrons:
• Electrons move around the nucleus in orbits.
• These electrons carry a negative charge and are attracted to the positively charged nucleus, but they do
not fall into the nucleus due to their motion.
• Mostly Empty Space:
• Most of the atom’s volume is empty space, as the alpha particles passed through without significant
deflection.
• Stability of the Atom:
• Rutherford’s model did not explain the stability of electrons in orbit, leading to future developments.
Impact and Significance

Rutherford's Atomic Model marked a significant departure from earlier models and brought a deeper
understanding of atomic structure. Key impacts include:

Discovery of the Nucleus: Rutherford’s experiment led to the discovery of the atomic nucleus, which is now
known to contain protons and neutrons.
Foundation for Future Models: Although Rutherford’s model had limitations, it laid the groundwork for later
models, such as Bohr’s model, which introduced quantized orbits for electrons.

Understanding Atomic Mass: The concept that most of an atom’s mass is concentrated in the nucleus
changed the way scientists thought about matter and energy.
Limitations of Rutherford’s Model

Despite its revolutionary nature, Rutherford’s model had several limitations:

Electron Stability: The model couldn’t explain why electrons don’t spiral into the nucleus due to the
electrostatic attraction between electrons and protons.

Discrete Orbit: The model couldn’t account for the discrete orbits observed in atomic spectra. It failed to
explain why atoms emit light at specific wavelengths.

These limitations led to the development of the Bohr Model in 1913, which incorporated quantum theory to
address some of the shortcomings of Rutherford’s model.
Conclusion

Ernest Rutherford’s atomic model was a major breakthrough in our understanding of atomic structure. It
replaced the "Plum Pudding" model and introduced the concept of the nucleus, fundamentally altering the way
scientists viewed matter. While the model had its limitations, it paved the way for further developments in
atomic theory, influencing future models like the Bohr Model and eventually quantum mechanics. Rutherford’s
work remains a cornerstone in modern atomic science.
THANKYOU