Postulates of Rutherford Atomic Model

Here are the major postulates of Rutherford’s atomic model based on observations and conclusions of the gold foil experiment:

• Positively charged particles make up an atom. The majority of an atom’s mass was contained in a very small area. The nucleus of an atom was the term used to describe this area of the atom. Later it was discovered that neutrons and protons make up the atom’s extremely tiny and dense nucleus.
• The electrons that surround an atom’s nucleus are negatively charged particles. The electrons rotate faster in a fixed circular path around the nucleus. Such a fixed circular path is called the orbit.
• Since electrons are negatively charged and the tightly packed nucleus is positively charged, an atom either has no net charge or is electrically neutral. The nucleus and electrons are held together by a strong electric force of attraction.

Rutherford Atomic Model was proposed by Ernest Rutherford in 1911. It is also called the Planetary Model of the Atom. It introduced the concept of a dense, positively charged nucleus at the center of an atom, with electrons orbiting around it, forming the basis for modern atomic theory.

In this article, we will learn about Rutherford’s Alpha Scattering Model, its observations, and limitations in detail.