Rutherford was the central figure in the study of radioactivity, and with his concept of the nuclear atom he led the exploration of nuclear physics. This showed that most of the atom is empty space surrounding a tiny nucleus.Įrnest Rutherford, in full Ernest, Baron Rutherford of Nelson, (born August 30, 1871, Spring Grove, New Zealand-died October 19, 1937, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England), New Zealand-born British physicist considered the greatest experimentalist since Michael Faraday (1791–1867). Most alpha particles passed through the foil, but a few were scattered backward. A beam of alpha particles was aimed at a piece of gold foil. Britannica Explains In these videos, Britannica explains a variety of topics and answers frequently asked questions.Įrnest Rutherford’s most famous experiment is the gold foil experiment.This Time in History In these videos, find out what happened this month (or any month!) in history.#WTFact Videos In #WTFact Britannica shares some of the most bizarre facts we can find.

Demystified Videos In Demystified, Britannica has all the answers to your burning questions.Britannica Classics Check out these retro videos from Encyclopedia Britannica’s archives.

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