Question

select the correct answer.
in rutherford’s gold foil experiment, most alpha particles passed through the gold foil without deflection and were detected on the screen. what caused the particles to pass through without any deflection?
a. a large area of positively charged particles present in the gold foil
b. the extremely high speed of the alpha particles passing through the gold foil
c. a small area of negatively charged particles present in the gold foil
d. empty space in the atoms present in the gold foil

Explanation:

Rutherford's gold foil experiment showed that atoms have a small, dense, positively - charged nucleus and most of the atom is empty space. Alpha particles are positively charged. When most alpha particles passed through the gold foil without deflection, it was because they were passing through the empty space within the atoms of the gold foil.

• Option A: A large area of positively - charged particles would repel the positively - charged alpha particles, causing deflection, so A is incorrect.
• Option B: The speed of the alpha particles is not the reason for them passing through without deflection. The key is the structure of the atom, so B is incorrect.
• Option C: There are no small areas of negatively - charged particles that would allow most alpha particles to pass through without deflection. Also, the main reason is the empty space, not negatively - charged particles, so C is incorrect.
• Option D: Since most of the atom is empty space, alpha particles can pass through this empty space without being deflected, so D is correct.

Answer:

D. empty space in the atoms present in the gold foil