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Chapter 4
Chapter 4
STRUCTURE OF THE
ATOM
1
Class Notes on
4.2. RUTHERFORD SCATTERING Applied Modern Physics ECEG-341
∆p = Pf − Pi
pi ≈ pf = mvo (assume no recoil of the scatterer)
∆p mvo
=
sin θ sin( π−θ
2 )
Since
Ernest Rutherford (1871- π−θ θ
1937) was the brilliant New sin = cos
Zealand physicist who ex- 2 2
plained natural radioactiv- θ θ
ity, determined the structure sin θ = 2 sin cos
of the atom, and changed one 2 2
element into another (nitro-
gen to oxygen) by splitting
θ
∴ ∆p = 2mvo sin
an atom’s nucleus. A farm 2
boy from New Zealand’s
South Island, he spent most
of his professional career The coulomb force F is along the instantaneous direction of the position
overseas at McGill Univer- vector r (unit vector â )
r
sity in Montreal, Canada
(1895-98), and at Manch-
ester University (1898-1907)
and Cambridge University
1 Z1 Z2 e2
F= âr = F âr
(1919-37) in the United 4πεo r2
Kingdom. Rutherford was
an energetic pioneer in nu-
clear physics: he discovered and F∆p = F cos φ since ∆p is in φ = 0 direction. Therefore,
(and named) alpha and beta
radiation, named the nucleus Z
and proton and won the
1908 Nobel prize in chem- ∆p = 2mvo sin (θ/2) = F cos φdt
istry for explaining radioac-
Z1 Z2 e2
Z
tivity as the disintegration cos φ
of atoms. Rutherford’s de- = dt
scription of an atomic struc-
4πεo r2
ture with orbital electrons
became the accepted model School of Electrical & Computer Engineering 2 of 5
(with further help provided AAiT, Addis Ababa University.
by his student and colleague,
Niels Bohr), and in 1920 he
predicted the existence of the
neutron, which was later dis-
covered by James Chadwick.
Class Notes on
4.3. ESTIMATION OF NUCLEAR RADIUS Applied Modern Physics ECEG-341
Let φi be on the -ve side and φf on the +ve side of z 0 (φ = 0), then
(π−θ)/2
8πεo mvo2 b
Z
sin(θ/2) = cos φdφ = 2 cos(θ/2)
Z1 Z2 e 2 −(π−θ)/2
Z1 Z2 e 2
∴b = cot(θ/2)
4πεo mvo2
Z1 Z2 e 2
b= cot(θ/2) (4.1)
8πεo Ek
1 e2 mv 2
=
4πεo r2 r
Implying
e
v=√ (4.3)
4πεo mr
The total energy E of the electron in a hydrogen atom is the sum of its
e2
kinetic energy ( 12 mv 2 ) and potential energy (− 4πεor
)
E = Ek + Ep
mv 2 e2
= −
2 4πεo r
Substituting v from Eq. 4.3
e2
E=− (4.4)
8πεo r
Exercise 1: Calculate the time, according to classical laws, it would take the
electron of the hydrogen atom to radiate its energy and crash into the nucleus.
2 2 2
1 2Q d r
(Hint: The radiated power P is given by 4πε o 3c3 dt2 where Q is the
charge, c the speed of light, and r the position vector of the electron from the
center of the atom.)