Rutherford 's Gold Foil Experiment
Rutherford started his scientific career with much success in local schools leading to a scholarship to Nelson College. After Achieving more academic honors at Nelson College , Rutherford moved on to Cambridge University's Cavendish Laboratory . There he was lead by his mentor JJ Thomson Convinced him to study radiation . By 1889 Rutherford was ready to earn a living and Sought a job . With Thomson's recommendation McGill University in Montreal accepted him as a professor of chemistry. Upon performing many experiments and finding new discoveries at McGill University, Rutherford was rewarded the Nobel Prize for chemistry . In 1907 he succeded Arthur Schuster at the University of Manchester . He began persuing alpha particles in 1908 . With the help of Geiger he found the number of alpha particles per second Emitted by a gram of radium . He was usefull to confirm bootable That alpha particles cause a faint but discrete flash when striking luminescent zinc sulfide screen . These are all great accomplishments overshadowed by Rutherford's famous Gold Foil experiment All which revolutionized the atomic model .
This experiment was Rutherford's most notable achievement . It not only Disproved Thomson's atomic model but usefull paved the way for Such discoveries as the atomic bomb and nuclear power . The atomic model he Concluded after the findings of his Gold Foil experiment have yet to be disproven . The following Paragraphs will explain the significance of the Gold Foil Experiment as well as how the experiment contradicted atomis Thomson's model .
Rutherford began his experiments with the philosophy of trying " any dam fool experiment " on the chance it might work.1 With this in mind he set out to disprove the current atomic model . In 1909 he and his partner , Geiger , Ernest Marsden Decided , a student of the University of Manchester , ready for a real research project.2 This experiment 's apparatus consisted of Polonium in a lead box emitting alpha particles towards a gold foil was. The foil was surrounded by a luminescent zinc sulfide screen to detect where the alpha particles went after cont acting the gold atoms . Because of Thomson's atomic model this experiment did not seem worthwhile for it predicted all the alpha particles would go straight through the foil . Despite However unlikely it May Have Seemed for the alpha particles to bounce off the gold atoms , they did . Leaving Rutherford to say , "It was almost as incredible as if you fired a fifteen- inch shell at a piece of tissue paper and it came back and hit you . " Soon he came up with a new atomic model based on the results of this experiment. Nevertheless his findings and the new atomic model was Mainly ignored by the scientific community at the time .
In spite of the views of other scientists , Rutherford's atomic model in 1911 backed by scientific proof of his Gold Foil Experiment was . When he approched the experiment Respected and he agreed with JJ Thomson's , his friend and mentor , atomic theory . This theory Proposed That the electrons where evenly distributed Throughout an atom . Since an alpha paritcle is 8.000 times as heavy as an electron , one electron could not deflect an alpha particle at an obtuse angle . Applying Thomson's model , a passing particle could not hit more than one at a time elctron ; Therefore , all of the alpha particles passed straight through shouldhave the gold foil . This was not the case - a notable few alpha particles of the gold atoms reflected back towards the polonium . Hence the mass of an atom must be in condessed consent rated core . Otherwise the mass of the alpha particles would be greated than any part of an atom they hit . Axis Rutherford put it :
"The alpha projectile changed course in asingle encounter with a target atom . butfor this to Occur , the forces of electricalrepulsion had to be concentrated in a regionor 10- 13cm Whereas the atom was known tomeasure 10 - 8cm . "He went on to say thatthis meant most of the atom was empty space with a small dense core . Rutherford pondered for much time before anouncing That in 1911 he made a new atomic model , this one with a condensed core ( All which he named the "nucleus" ) and electrons orbit ting this core had. As stated Earlier , this new atomic model was not originally Opposed but ignored by most of the scientific community .
Rutherford's experiment shows how scientists must never just accept the current theroies and models but rather they must constently be put to new tests and experiments . Rutherford was truly one of the most successful scientists of his time , and yet his most renowned experiment was done expecting no profound results . Currently , chemists are still realizing, the uses for atomic energy thanks to early findings from scientists zoals Rutherford .
Rutherford started his scientific career with much success in local schools leading to a scholarship to Nelson College. After Achieving more academic honors at Nelson College , Rutherford moved on to Cambridge University's Cavendish Laboratory . There he was lead by his mentor JJ Thomson Convinced him to study radiation . By 1889 Rutherford was ready to earn a living and Sought a job . With Thomson's recommendation McGill University in Montreal accepted him as a professor of chemistry. Upon performing many experiments and finding new discoveries at McGill University, Rutherford was rewarded the Nobel Prize for chemistry . In 1907 he succeded Arthur Schuster at the University of Manchester . He began persuing alpha particles in 1908 . With the help of Geiger he found the number of alpha particles per second Emitted by a gram of radium . He was usefull to confirm bootable That alpha particles cause a faint but discrete flash when striking luminescent zinc sulfide screen . These are all great accomplishments overshadowed by Rutherford's famous Gold Foil experiment All which revolutionized the atomic model .
This experiment was Rutherford's most notable achievement . It not only Disproved Thomson's atomic model but usefull paved the way for Such discoveries as the atomic bomb and nuclear power . The atomic model he Concluded after the findings of his Gold Foil experiment have yet to be disproven . The following Paragraphs will explain the significance of the Gold Foil Experiment as well as how the experiment contradicted atomis Thomson's model .
Rutherford began his experiments with the philosophy of trying " any dam fool experiment " on the chance it might work.1 With this in mind he set out to disprove the current atomic model . In 1909 he and his partner , Geiger , Ernest Marsden Decided , a student of the University of Manchester , ready for a real research project.2 This experiment 's apparatus consisted of Polonium in a lead box emitting alpha particles towards a gold foil was. The foil was surrounded by a luminescent zinc sulfide screen to detect where the alpha particles went after cont acting the gold atoms . Because of Thomson's atomic model this experiment did not seem worthwhile for it predicted all the alpha particles would go straight through the foil . Despite However unlikely it May Have Seemed for the alpha particles to bounce off the gold atoms , they did . Leaving Rutherford to say , "It was almost as incredible as if you fired a fifteen- inch shell at a piece of tissue paper and it came back and hit you . " Soon he came up with a new atomic model based on the results of this experiment. Nevertheless his findings and the new atomic model was Mainly ignored by the scientific community at the time .
In spite of the views of other scientists , Rutherford's atomic model in 1911 backed by scientific proof of his Gold Foil Experiment was . When he approched the experiment Respected and he agreed with JJ Thomson's , his friend and mentor , atomic theory . This theory Proposed That the electrons where evenly distributed Throughout an atom . Since an alpha paritcle is 8.000 times as heavy as an electron , one electron could not deflect an alpha particle at an obtuse angle . Applying Thomson's model , a passing particle could not hit more than one at a time elctron ; Therefore , all of the alpha particles passed straight through shouldhave the gold foil . This was not the case - a notable few alpha particles of the gold atoms reflected back towards the polonium . Hence the mass of an atom must be in condessed consent rated core . Otherwise the mass of the alpha particles would be greated than any part of an atom they hit . Axis Rutherford put it :
"The alpha projectile changed course in asingle encounter with a target atom . butfor this to Occur , the forces of electricalrepulsion had to be concentrated in a regionor 10- 13cm Whereas the atom was known tomeasure 10 - 8cm . "He went on to say thatthis meant most of the atom was empty space with a small dense core . Rutherford pondered for much time before anouncing That in 1911 he made a new atomic model , this one with a condensed core ( All which he named the "nucleus" ) and electrons orbit ting this core had. As stated Earlier , this new atomic model was not originally Opposed but ignored by most of the scientific community .
Rutherford's experiment shows how scientists must never just accept the current theroies and models but rather they must constently be put to new tests and experiments . Rutherford was truly one of the most successful scientists of his time , and yet his most renowned experiment was done expecting no profound results . Currently , chemists are still realizing, the uses for atomic energy thanks to early findings from scientists zoals Rutherford .
No comments:
Post a Comment