Developing Models of the Atom Flashcards

All 5 cards in this deck

Describe the plum pudding model of the atom.

A ball of positive charge with negatively charged electrons embedded in it, and no nucleus.

Give the three main observations of Rutherford's alpha particle scattering experiment.

Most alpha particles passed straight through the foil; some were deflected through small angles; very few were deflected through angles greater than 90°.

What conclusions about the atom were drawn from the alpha particle scattering results?

Atoms are mainly empty space, and there is a small, dense, positively charged nucleus containing most of the mass.

What did Bohr add to the nuclear model of the atom?

That electrons orbit the nucleus at set distances (fixed energy levels).

Why did Rutherford conclude that the nucleus must carry a positive charge?

Some alpha particles, which are positive, were pushed sharply away by the nucleus, and only like charges repel.