In one or two sentences, explain how Rutherford’s model of an atom changed scientific knowledge and describe the evidence that justified the model.

Answer 1

Rutherford's model of the atom revolutionized scientific understanding by introducing the concept of a dense, positively charged nucleus surrounded by orbiting electrons, replacing the earlier plum pudding model which suggested a uniform distribution of charge. This model was justified by his gold foil experiment, where the deflection of alpha particles indicated the presence of a small, concentrated nucleus, revealing that most of the atom's mass is concentrated in a central core rather than being spread out.