Which statement best reflects the results of Rutherford's gold foil experiment?

• A. Most alpha particles passed straight through the foil, but a few were deflected at large angles.
• B. Most alpha particles bounced directly back toward the source.
• C. Alpha particles caused the gold foil to emit electrons.
• D. All alpha particles were absorbed by the gold foil.

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Recall the purpose of Rutherford's gold foil experiment: to investigate the structure of the atom by observing how alpha particles interact with a thin sheet of gold foil.
2. Understand the expected outcomes based on different atomic models: if the atom were a 'plum pudding' model, alpha particles would mostly pass through with minimal deflection; if the atom had a dense nucleus, some alpha particles would be deflected at large angles.
3. Analyze the actual observations: most alpha particles passed straight through the foil, indicating that atoms are mostly empty space, but a small fraction were deflected at large angles, suggesting the presence of a small, dense, positively charged nucleus.
4. Recognize that the observation of a few alpha particles bouncing back directly toward the source was very rare, disproving the idea that the atom is a uniform mass.
5. Conclude that the best statement reflecting Rutherford's results is that most alpha particles passed straight through the foil, but a few were deflected at large angles, supporting the nuclear model of the atom.