Which conclusion was most directly supported by the results of Rutherford's gold foil experiment?

• A. Protons and neutrons are located in fixed orbits around the nucleus.
• B. Atoms are composed entirely of empty space.
• C. Atoms have a small, dense, positively charged nucleus.
• D. Electrons are evenly distributed throughout the atom.

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Recall the setup of Rutherford's gold foil experiment: alpha particles were directed at a very thin sheet of gold foil, and their scattering patterns were observed.
2. Understand the key observations: most alpha particles passed straight through the foil, but a small fraction were deflected at large angles, and some even bounced back.
3. Analyze what these observations imply about atomic structure: if atoms were uniform or had evenly distributed positive charge, alpha particles would pass through with minimal deflection.
4. Conclude that the large deflections indicate the presence of a small, dense, positively charged center within the atom, which repels the positively charged alpha particles.
5. Therefore, the experiment most directly supports the conclusion that atoms have a small, dense, positively charged nucleus.