Rutherford’s Gold Foil Experiment 

Atomic Structure and the Nucleus 
 
 

Lesson Plan   
 
Guiding Question:​ If we cannot see an atom, then how can we theorize an atom’s structure? 
 
Overview: ​In this simulation, design hypothetical models of an atom and test them using Rutherford’s gold foil experimental 
design. Use the evidence from Rutherford’s experiment and what you know about how objects travel through empty space 
and how charges interact to help you build your model. 
 
Learning Goals:  
● Create a testable hypothesis. 
● Test a hypothesis using a model. 
● Make a claim that most of the atom is made up of empty space, and use evidence to support it. 
● Make a claim that the nucleus of the atom is positive, and use evidence to support it. 
 
Key Concepts:​ Gold Foil Experiment, Atomic Nucleus 
 
Link to Simulation: h
​ ttps://interactives.ck12.org/simulations/chemistry/gold-foil/app/ 
 
 
 

Background Video   
 
In  the  early  1800’s,  there  was  a  scientist  named  John  Dalton.  He  wanted  to  know 
just  how  small  you  could  cut  a  piece  of  matter  until  you  couldn't  cut  it  anymore. 
Dalton  called  this  smallest,  indivisible  piece  of  matter  an  atom.  He  proposed  that 
the  atom  was  an  indivisible  solid  sphere.  Over  the  years  scientists  gathered 
evidence to change and refine Dalton’s model of the atom.  

Almost  100  years  later  Dalton’s  model  of  the  atom  was  disproved  when  a  British 
scientist  named,  J.J.  Thomson  discovered  that  atoms  contain  negatively  charged 
particles  called  electrons,  proving  that  atoms  were  more  than  a  solid,  indivisible 
sphere.  Thomas  suggested  that  the  atom  was  made  of  a  thick  jelly  that  was 
positively  charged  with  negatively  charged  electrons  suspended  throughout  it.  Imagine  a  ball  of  chocolate  chip  cookie 
dough--where the dough is the positive, jelly-like fluid and the chocolate chips are the electrons. 

Six  years  later,  Rutherford  decided  to test out the Thomson model of the atom by shooting α-particles (which are very small 

positively  charged  particles)  at  a very thin piece of gold foil and observing the alpha particle paths based on where they hit a 
detector screen. 

Let’s  recreate  the  Rutherford  experiment  and  see  what  happens.  Rutherford  couldn’t  see  the  atom,  but based on the paths 
of  the  α-particles,  he  was  able  to  infer  its  structure.  Can  you  use  inductive  reasoning to build a model of the atom? Use the 
evidence from Rutherford’s experiment and what you know about how objects travel through empty space and how charges 
interact to help you build the model. 
 

  Teacher Guide | Page 1 

 
  

Simulation Overview   

Model Builder 
● Particle Size​ - Pick the size of particles for your model. 
● Negative Particle​ - Pick the arrangement of negative particles for your model. 
● Positive Particle ​- Pick the arrangement of positive particles for your model. 
● Test Your Model ​- Test your model under Rutherford’s gold foil experiment conditions. 

Run Actual Experiment 

Click to see the actual gold foil experiment. 

Graph 
For  a  given  model,  the  graph  shows  the  number  of α-particles that were reflected, deflected, passed through, or stuck to an 
atom. It also shows the number of α-particles for each behavior according to the actual experiment. 

Experiment Viewer 
● Particle Size​ - A fading trail shows the path that the α-particle traveled. 
● Record of all paths traveled - A
​ t the end of the test, it shows all the paths the particles traveled. 
 
 

  Teacher Guide | Page 2 

 
  

Real-World Connections   
 
 

 
 
What  allows  balloons  to  fly 
high  and  is  also  found  in  the  Why does a peeled orange 
ground below?  sink? 
A  peeled  orange  weighs less than an unpeeled orange, so 
Helium!  Surprisingly,  the  helium  we  use  in  balloons 
why  would  the  orange  that  weighs  less,  sink?  Well,  the 
comes  from  mining  helium  pockets,  formed  millions  of 
rind  of  the  orange  is  full  of  tiny  air  pockets  which  helps 
years  ago,  deep  within  the  ground.  Helium balloons bring 
give  it  a  lower  density  than water. Removing the rind, and 
a  festive  feeling  to  parties  by  floating  above  the  ground 
all the air pockets from the orange increases its density. 
from  which  it  came,  a  phenomenon  which  occurs  due  to 
 
helium's density being less than air. 
Density is the mass of an object relative to its volume. 
   
 

 
 
Why does ice float on water? 
Most solids have a greater density than liquids and gases. 
How do fish change their depth 
However,  water is one of just a few substances that has a  in the water? 
lower  density  in  its  typical  solid form than its liquid form - 
Most  bony  fish have an organ called a swim bladder. This 
this  is  why  ice  cubes  float  on  water,  why  lakes  freeze 
swim  bladder  can  fill  with  gases  produced  in  the  fish’s 
from  the  top  down  and  why  the  polar  ice caps are on the 
blood.  The  inflated  swim  bladder  increases  the  fish’s 
surface of the ocean and not at the bottom! 
volume,  which  decreases  the  fish’s  overall  density 
 
keeping it from sinking in the water. 
 

 
 

  Teacher Guide | Page 3 

 
 ​Name: ___________________________________________ Date: ______________   

Rutherford’s Gold 
Foil Experiment   
Atomic Structure and the Nucleus 
 

Exploration Questions   

Challenge Me Questions 1-6: ​As you explore the simulation, answer the following questions. 
 
1. How would you expect a positive particle approaching another positive particle to behave? H
​ int, think about 
magnets.  
 
 
 
2. Why do most of the α-particles in Rutherford’s experiment go through gold foil without being deflected? 
 
 
 
3. In Rutherford’s gold foil experiment a very small number of α-particles were deflected. What about the structure of 
the atom that could have caused this? 
 
 
 
4. In Rutherford’s gold foil experiment, no α-particles stuck to the atom. If α- particles had stuck the atom, what might 
you have deduced about the atom's structure? 
 
 
 
5. Is there more than one possible model that could be inferred from Rutherford’s data? 
 
 
 
6. Could Rutherford make any conclusions about neutrons and electrons based on the results of the experiment? 
 

  Exploration Worksheet | Page 1