Ernest Rutherford and His Discoveries

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Questions and Answers

Which discovery made by Rutherford surprised him by leading to a Nobel Prize in Chemistry?

  • The development of the cyclotron
  • The identification of the electron
  • The discovery of X-rays
  • The disintegration of elements and identification of alpha and beta radiation (correct)

In what year did Rutherford propose his model of the atom, featuring a central nucleus orbited by electrons?

  • 1908
  • 1911 (correct)
  • 1899
  • 1919

What significant achievement did Rutherford make in 1919 in the field of nuclear physics?

  • Splitting the atom and discovering the proton (correct)
  • Identifying the neutron
  • Formulating the theory of radioactive decay
  • Discovering gamma radiation

Where did Rutherford conduct the research that led to his Nobel Prize?

<p>McGill University (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What type of radiation did Rutherford determine to be composed of positively charged particles?

<p>Alpha radiation (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Who recommended Rutherford for the professorship at McGill University?

<p>J.J. Thomson (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which scientist's discovery of radioactivity preceded Rutherford's work on radiation?

<p>Henri Becquerel (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What fundamental particles were already known when Rutherford was conducting his research at McGill?

<p>Electrons only (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What elements were involved in Rutherford's first successful transmutation experiment?

<p>Nitrogen and oxygen (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What did Rutherford observe being emitted through a window during his transmutation experiment?

<p>Protons (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

Ernest Rutherford

A physicist who significantly advanced atomic theory and discovered radiation types.

Alpha and Beta Radiation

Types of radiation identified by Rutherford during his studies of atomic disintegration.

Nobel Prize in Chemistry 1908

Award won by Rutherford for his work on the disintegration of elements and radiation.

Rutherford model of the atom

Model proposing electrons orbit a tiny central nucleus, resembling a solar system.

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Discovery of the proton

Rutherford identified the proton as a positively charged particle in 1919.

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Nuclear Fission

The process of transforming one element into another, discovered by Rutherford.

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Transmutation of Elements

The first conversion of one element into another achieved by Rutherford using alpha particles.

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Rutherford's scholarship at Cambridge

Rutherford earned a scholarship to work with J.J. Thomson at Cambridge University.

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Radiation emitted from uranium

Rutherford studied and classified the radiation released from uranium atoms.

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Quote: 'touched the ghost of matter'

A statement by Rutherford expressing his groundbreaking discoveries in atomic physics.

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Study Notes

Ernest Rutherford

  • Born into a farming family in Brightwater, New Zealand (1871)
  • Earned degrees at Canterbury College (now the University of Canterbury)
  • Won a scholarship to study at Cambridge University under J.J. Thomson
  • Became a professor of physics at McGill University, Montreal (1898) @ 27
  • Nobel Prize in Chemistry (1908) for work on radioactivity
  • Found atoms were not indivisible and contained smaller, charged particles
  • Discovered alpha and beta radiation, and that alpha radiation was made up of positively charged particles. This meant disproving the idea of atoms being indivisible.
  • Developed the "Rutherford model" of the atom in 1911

Rutherford's Discoveries

  • Discovered alpha and beta radiation, both types of radioactive emissions
  • Demonstrated the disintegration of elements (radioactivity)
  • Determined that alpha radiation consisted of positively-charged particles
  • Discovered the proton in 1919 and transformed one element into another (nuclear fission)

Atomic Structure

  • Proposed the Rutherford model of the atom in 1911
  • Stated that electrons orbit a tiny nucleus, similar to the structure of the solar system
  • Demonstrated that atoms are made up of smaller parts, including protons and electrons 

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