Discovery of Protons

However, Ernest Rutherford was given the honor for discovering them. He conducted an experiment utilizing alpha particles which carry a positive two charge. He allowed them to pass through the gold foil. Some of the particles were scattered at an angle and he believed that some constituents of the foil are positively charge which have caused the positive alpha rays to repel and scatter.

Another scientist, Eugen Goldstein, conducted experiments similar to those of J.J. Thomson, by also using the electric discharge tube. From their behavior in electric and magnetic fields, Goldstein was convinced that there were also positively charged particles in matter.