Discovery of the Atom

Ernest Rutherford's career began with a scholarship to Cambridge University, leading to significant scientific contributions, including winning the Nobel Prize for Chemistry. He is best known for his gold foil experiment, which revealed the atomic structure, introducing the concept of a nucleus surrounded by electrons. This discovery laid the foundation for nuclear physics, a field with both destructive and beneficial potential. Rutherford's work earned him recognition as a pivotal figure in science, with Albert Einstein likening him to Newton.

What significant award did Rutherford receive for his work on radioactivity?

• Nobel Prize for Chemistry

• Nobel Prize for Physics

• Nobel Prize for Medicine

• Nobel Prize for Literature

What was the key finding of Rutherford's gold leaf experiment?

• Atoms are solid and dense

• Atoms have a small, dense nucleus

• Atoms are made of protons and neutrons

• Atoms are indivisible

Where did Rutherford conduct his famous gold leaf experiment?

• Cambridge University

• Manchester University

• Oxford University

• Harvard University

What new scientific discipline emerged from Rutherford's discoveries?

• Molecular Biology

• Astrophysics

• Nuclear Physics

• Quantum Mechanics

How did Albert Einstein describe Rutherford?

• As a pioneer of modern physics

• As the father of chemistry

• As a revolutionary thinker

• As a second Newton