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Chapter 2: Problem 6

Describe the experimental basis for believing that the nucleus occupies a very small fraction of the volume of the atom.

Short Answer

Expert verified
The belief that the nucleus occupies a very small fraction of an atom's volume is based on the results of Rutherford's Gold Foil Experiment, where most of the alpha particles passed through a thin gold foil indicating that a large volume of an atom is empty space, while a small number of particles were deflected indicating a very small, dense, and positively charged nucleus.

Step by step solution

01

The Basics of Atom Structure

An atom consists of a tiny nucleus surrounded by electrons. The nucleus, consisting of protons and neutrons, is very dense and positively charged, while the electrons are negatively charged and occupy most of the atom's space.
02

Rutherford's Gold Foil Experiment

Rutherford carried out an experiment where he bombarded a thin gold foil with alpha particles and observed their deflection. Most particles passed straight through the foil indicating that the path was clear - that is, the majority of the atom's volume is empty space. Only a small number of particles were deflected showing that there's a dense, positively charged region that took up a tiny portion of the atom - the nucleus.
03

Conclusions and Findings

The experimental evidence therefore concludes that nucleus occupies a tiny fraction of the volume of the atom. The majority of the space in an atom is occupied by the electron cloud, the region where electrons can be found.

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