Which conclusion directly resulted from the Rutherford gold foil experiment?

• A. Atoms contain neutrons in the nucleus.
• B. Atoms have a small, dense, positively charged nucleus.
• C. Electrons are arranged in fixed orbits around the nucleus.
• D. Atoms are indivisible and solid spheres.

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Recall the main goal of the Rutherford gold foil experiment, which was to investigate the structure of the atom by observing how alpha particles scatter when directed at a thin gold foil.
2. Understand that most alpha particles passed straight through the foil, but some were deflected at large angles, indicating the presence of a small, dense region within the atom.
3. Recognize that this observation led to the conclusion that atoms are mostly empty space with a small, dense, positively charged nucleus at the center, which repels the positively charged alpha particles.
4. Note that this conclusion disproved the earlier plum pudding model, which suggested atoms were solid spheres with evenly distributed positive charge.
5. Remember that the experiment did not provide information about neutrons or fixed electron orbits; those concepts were developed later.