Suppose you are given a chance to repeat the alpha-particle scattering experiment using a thin sheet of solid hydrogen in place of the gold foil. (Hydrogen is a solid at temperatures below 14 K.) What results do you expect?
What results do you expect if the α-particle scattering experiment is repeated using a thin sheet of hydrogen in place of a gold foil? Explain. (Hydrogen is a solid at a temperature below 14 K)
Solution
In the α-particle scattering experiment, if a thin sheet of solid hydrogen is used in place of a gold foil, then the scattering angle would not be large enough. This is because the mass of hydrogen (1.67 × 10−27 kg) is less than the mass of incident α-particles (6.64 × 10−27 kg). Thus, the mass of the scattering particle is more than the target nucleus (hydrogen). As a result, the α-particles would not bounce back if solid hydrogen is used in the α-particle scattering experiment.
