To achieve the largest deflection of alpha particles in a field, we need to consider both the energy of the alpha particles and the mass number of the surrounding particles. Alpha particles are relatively heavy and positively charged, consisting of 2 protons and 2 neutrons.
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Low-energy alpha particles: These will be less affected by a field because their lower kinetic energy means they cannot overcome the influence of the field as readily as high-energy particles.
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High-energy alpha particles: These will have more kinetic energy and thus be less deflected by the electric or magnetic field due to their speed but will experience greater overall forces due to their speed.
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Particles in the field: The mass number of the particles in the field indicates their mass and hence their ability to exert forces. Low mass-number particles will have a lesser gravitational (and potentially electrical) effect compared to high mass-number particles.
Considering these factors, low-energy alpha particles passing through a field of high mass-number particles would experience the largest deflection. The heavier particles in the field interact more with the alpha particles and because the alpha particles are low energy, they will be more sensitive to deflection caused by the interaction.
So the answer would be: low-energy alpha particles passing through a field of high mass-number-particles.
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