Practice question
Question
In Rutherford’s scattering experiment, what does the small number of alpha-particles undergoing head-on
collisions suggest?
Explanation
**Quantization basis** de Broglie standing wave requires constructive interference, integer wavelengths in orbit, otherwise destructive, so only certain radii allowed r_n = n² a₀, a₀=0.53 Å, angular momentum L = n h/2π, de Broglie explains why orbits are stationary - electron wave closed on itself. The rarity of head-on collisions (1 in 8000 rebounding back) suggests that the nucleus, containing most of the mass and charge, is very small compared to the atom. Using E_n = -13.6/n² eV, r_n = n² a₀, L = n h/2π, R = R₀ A^¹/³, BE = Δm c² and 1 u = 931.5 MeV, evaluation yields Nucleus occupies a
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