How did Rutherford determine that the nucleus was the center of an atom? Take a look inside the famous Gold Foil Experiment with an interesting interactive. Learners fire a beam of alpha particles at a nucleus containing variable concentrations of positively charged protons. They then observe the effects of the electric field upon the particles.

Concepts

ernest rutherford, positive charges, charged particles, protons, force diagrams, electric fields

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Additional Tags

science

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Instructional Ideas

• Use the interactive as the basis for model development to study the behavior of objects moving through a magnetic field
• Have the class record their observations for concentrated, medium, and diffuse charge concentrations
  

Classroom Considerations

• Take a moment to review or introduce Rutherford's Gold Foil Experiment before assigning the interactive
• Allow a little extra time for pupils to make observations at different concentration levels; the interactions happen quickly and cannot be slowed or paused
  

Pros

• Changing the charge concentration shown in the resource allows for different views of the resulting electric field and directions of force
• The interactive is versatile and has applications in both the chemistry and physics classrooms
  

Cons

• None