The Rutherford α-particle scattering experiment led to the conclusion that
A{'text': 'Atoms are indivisible units of matter without an inner structure', 'label': 'A'}
B{'text': 'Most of the atom is empty space with a small dense positive nucleus', 'label': 'B'}
C{'text': 'Electrons revolve around the nucleus in fixed quantised orbits only', 'label': 'C'}
D{'text': 'Atoms as a whole carry no positive or negative charge at any point', 'label': 'D'}
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: B. {'text': 'Most of the atom is empty space with a small dense positive nucleus', 'label': 'B'}
1. Rutherford (1911) bombarded a thin gold foil with α-particles.
2. Most passed straight through, showing atoms are mostly empty space.
3. A tiny fraction scattered at wide angles, indicating a small dense positive nucleus.
4. This overturned the Thomson plum-pudding model of the atom.
_Source: NCERT Class 11 Chemistry, Ch 2 "Structure of Atom", §2.3_
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