Rutherford Lab
Modeling the Structure of the Atom
How can you investigate something you cannot see? Even with a
microscope, atoms are too small to be seen. Many times in science we are
faced with the challenge of learning about something that is too small, too
big, or too far away to be studied with close examination. For these studies
scientists must make observations about objects at a macroscopic level to
explain what is happening at a microscopic level.
HYPOTHESIS
If___________________________________________________________ ,
then_________________________________________________________.
DATA AND OBSERVATIONS
In this activity you will be simulating work done by Ernest Rutherford in
1910. His experiment was designed to bombard a thin piece of gold foil
with a stream of alpha particles and to detect their movement through gold
foil. A radioactive film encircled the gold foil to pinpoint where the alpha
particles came out. Rutherford was quite surprised by his results. In fact,
his results were so surprising that it forced the adoption of an entirely new
model of the atom.
Ob-scertainer # ___
Ob-scertainer # ___
Ob-scertainer # ___
CONCLUSION QUESTIONS
PURPOSE
The purpose of this experiment is to simulate Rutherford’s work with alpha
particles and gold foil. Through this experiment you will practice using indirect
evidence to draw conclusions.
Study the pictures on the NEXT page to help you answer the following
questions.
1.
Which component of Rutherford’s experiment did your steel ball simulate?
2.
Which component of the experiment did your hidden shape simulate?
3.
If the nucleus occupies only a small percentage of the overall space of an
atom, what occupies the rest of the atom?
4.
In this activity you had to observe indirect evidence and use it to draw
conclusions about something you could not see. Describe one instance in
everyday life where indirect evidence is used to draw conclusions.
MATERIALS
Ob-scertainer – DO NOT OPEN THESE! They should remain taped and closed. Each
student will have their own Ob-scertainer.
PROCEDURES
1.
2.
3.
4.
Write an IF-THEN hypothesis as to how you will use the steel ball to determine
the shape or configuration inside your Ob-scertainer.
Without opening the Ob-scertainer, move the steel ball around inside. Tilt,
shake, and/or move the steel ball inside the Ob-scertainer. DO NOT bang the
Ob-scertainer on the table or other hard surface.
Continue to make observations until you have a good inference as to the size,
shape, and orientation of your hidden shape or the configuration inside.
Using the space provided in the DATA AND OBSERVATIONS section, record
your Ob-scertainer # and draw the shape you think is inside.
5. Repeat steps 2-4 for two more Ob-scertainers (trade at your station).
RUTHERFORD’S GOLD FOIL EXPERIMENT
Use this picture to help you answer the conclusion questions.
alpha
particles