Concept:Rutherford's α‑particle scattering experiment revealed the nuclear model of the atom.
It showed that most of the atom is empty, the nucleus is tiny and positively charged, and nearly all mass is in the nucleus.
It did not provide evidence for fixed energy orbits; that idea came from Bohr’s model.
Explanation:Step 1: Rutherford bombarded a thin gold foil with α‑particles.
Step 2: Most α‑particles passed through with little or no deflection → atom is mostly empty space (option A is correct).
Step 3: A few α‑particles were scattered backwards → a small, dense, positively charged nucleus exists.
Step 4: The nucleus contains almost all the mass of the atom (option D is correct).
Step 5: The nuclear radius is about
10−15 m while the atomic radius is about
10−10 m → ratio
105 (option B is correct).
Step 6: Rutherford’s experiment did not propose that electrons move in fixed circular orbits with fixed energy.
That concept of quantized orbits was introduced by Niels Bohr in 1913 to explain atomic stability and spectra.
Therefore, option C could not be derived from Rutherford’s experiment.
Answer:Option C – Electrons move in a circular path of fixed energy called orbits.
