Ernest Rutherford is credited with discovering the nucleus of the atom in 1911 through his famous gold foil scattering experiments.

Quick Scoop

  • The nucleus of an atom was discovered by Ernest Rutherford while analyzing how alpha particles scattered off thin gold foil.
  • His results showed that most alpha particles passed straight through, but a few were deflected sharply, implying a tiny, dense, positively charged center.
  • This led Rutherford to propose the nuclear model of the atom, overturning J. J. Thomson’s earlier “plum pudding” model and launching modern nuclear physics.

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