Who is credited with discovering the nucleus of the atom through the gold foil experiment?

• A. J.J. Thomson
• B. Ernest Rutherford
• C. Niels Bohr
• D. Marie Curie

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that this question is about the historical discovery of the atomic nucleus, which is a fundamental concept in General Chemistry and atomic physics.
2. Recall that the gold foil experiment involved firing alpha particles at a thin sheet of gold foil to observe their scattering patterns.
3. Recognize that the scientist who conducted this experiment and interpreted the results to propose the existence of a small, dense, positively charged nucleus at the center of the atom was Ernest Rutherford.
4. Note that J.J. Thomson is credited with discovering the electron and proposing the plum pudding model, Niels Bohr developed the Bohr model of the atom, and Marie Curie is known for her work on radioactivity, but none of them discovered the nucleus through the gold foil experiment.
5. Therefore, the correct answer is Ernest Rutherford, as he is credited with discovering the nucleus of the atom through the gold foil experiment.