In the alpha-particle scattering experiment, a beam of alpha particles was directed at a thin sheet of gold foil.
It was observed that the vast majority of the alpha particles passed straight through the foil with no deflection. State the conclusion about the structure of the atom that was drawn from this observation.
A very small number of alpha particles were deflected through large angles, greater than 90∘90^\circ90∘. Explain how this deflection demonstrates that the nucleus of the gold atom carries a positive charge.