Answer :
Final answer:
In a plot for Rutherford's alpha-particle scattering experiment, most alpha particles are scattered at low angles, with a steep decrease in the number scattered as the angle increases, reflecting the atomic nucleus's small size and large mass relative to the atom.
Explanation:
In Rutherford's alpha-particle scattering experiment, a plot of the number of particles scattered versus the scattering angle θ typically resembles a steeply decreasing curve. This curve indicates that most alpha particles pass through the gold foil with minimal deflection.
However, as the angle increases, particularly beyond 90°, the number of alpha particles scattered becomes significantly less, illustrating Rutherford's surprising discovery. At large angles, the scattering is rare because it indicates a direct interaction with the dense, positively charged nucleus of the gold atom.
Visualization of Rutherford's Scattering Experiment
A steeply descending curve starting high at low angles depicts that most alpha particles are barely deflected. As the angle increases, fewer alpha particles are scattered, with a very small fraction scattering at very large angles,
indicating a collision with a dense nucleus. The number of particles that are deflected at large angles is minimal, which reflects on the size and mass of the nucleus as very small and dense, in contrast to the surrounding mostly empty space.
