Ernest+Rutherford+A3

Ernest Rutherford Rutherford was known as the father of nuclear physics. His theory stated that the atom has a central positive nucleus that is surrounded by negative, orbiting electrons. He compared this orbit to that of celestial bodies orbiting one another in space. With his model, he concluded that the majority of an atom’s weight is within the nucleus and the rest of the atom was unused space. He concluded this using his famous “gold foil experiment”.

Ernest Rutherford expanded on his predecessor, J.J. Thomson, by finalizing the idea that an atom has a structure. He further expanded on the idea that negatively charged electrons were scattered throughout a cloud of positive charge by stating that a positively charged nucleus is surrounded by negatively charged electrons. He also opposed Thomson’s findings by stating that the majority of an atoms weight resides within a small volume of the atom in the nucleus.