Ernest Rutherford's 1911 calculation explained rare large-angle alpha particle scattering by concentrating an atom's central electric charge into a region small compared with the atom. In the single-Rutherford scattering approximation, the predicted differential scattering cross-section varies as and as the inverse square of the incident kinetic energy. These dependencies make the model testable through angular counts and controlled changes of beam energy, beyond merely observing that occasional particles turn backward.[ref]
The Scattering of Alpha and Beta Particles by Matter and the Structure of the Atom by Ernest Rutherford. Sections on single scattering by a central charge and comparison with observed large-angle scattering
A physicist.[ref]
https://www.physics.manchester.ac.uk/about/history-and-heritage/. Independent biographical identity and professional specialization
Portrait of Ernest Rutherford
. Source. The Rutherford scattering model connects large-angle deflections to concentrated electric charge. The Geiger-Marsden experiment supplies the experimental context; a predicted angular distribution needs comparison with detector geometry and background counts.
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Ernest Rutherford (1871–1937) was a New Zealand-born physicist who is often referred to as the "father of nuclear physics." He is best known for his groundbreaking work on the structure of the atom and his pioneering research into radioactivity. Rutherford's most significant contributions include: 1. **Gold Foil Experiment**: In 1909, he conducted an experiment in which he directed alpha particles at a thin sheet of gold foil.
