Rutherford's Atomic Model:
Rutherford on the basis of his experiment on scattering of alpha-particle by thin foil of metals proposed a model of an atom which is similar to solar system.
According to this model:
• An atom consists of a nucleus containing positive charge and practically the whole of its mass.
• The nucleus is surrounded by a number of electrons equal to the number of protons in the nucleus.
• The electrons are in constant motion around the nucleus(like that of planets around the sun)in such a way that the centripetal force required to keep the electron moving in a circle round the nucleus is provided by the electrostatic force of attraction between the electrons and nucleus.
This model of atom, which was based on the gravitation and laws of motion, had the following defects:
The laws of motion and gravitation could easily be applied to the neutral bodies like planets but not to the charged bodies such as protons and electrons. According to Maxwell theory any electron revolving in an orbit must radiate energy continuously. Hence the electrons revolving around a positive nucleus would spiral into the nucleus and atom would collapse. Since this does not happen, the Rutherford model could not be accepted.
Rutherford on the basis of his experiment on scattering of alpha-particle by thin foil of metals proposed a model of an atom which is similar to solar system.
According to this model:
• An atom consists of a nucleus containing positive charge and practically the whole of its mass.
• The nucleus is surrounded by a number of electrons equal to the number of protons in the nucleus.
• The electrons are in constant motion around the nucleus(like that of planets around the sun)in such a way that the centripetal force required to keep the electron moving in a circle round the nucleus is provided by the electrostatic force of attraction between the electrons and nucleus.
This model of atom, which was based on the gravitation and laws of motion, had the following defects:
The laws of motion and gravitation could easily be applied to the neutral bodies like planets but not to the charged bodies such as protons and electrons. According to Maxwell theory any electron revolving in an orbit must radiate energy continuously. Hence the electrons revolving around a positive nucleus would spiral into the nucleus and atom would collapse. Since this does not happen, the Rutherford model could not be accepted.