In Rutherford scattering, the deflection of alpha particles is influenced by both their energy and the mass of the target particles they encounter. To achieve the largest deflection:
- High energy particles have more momentum and thus are less affected by the electric forces exerted by the nucleus.
- High mass-number particles have a stronger electric field due to their larger charge and can exert a greater force on approaching alpha particles.
Considering this:
- High-energy alpha particles would be less deflected by lower mass-number particles because they have more kinetic energy and momentum to overcome any interaction.
- Low-energy alpha particles may be more easily deflected because they have less kinetic energy and are more susceptible to interactions with the electric fields of massive nuclei.
Given these considerations, the option that will result in the largest deflection is:
low-energy alpha particles passing through a field of high mass-number particles.
This configuration increases their interaction probability and allows for a greater deflection due to the stronger electric field of the high mass-number target.