Question

The contributions of J. J. Thomson and Ernest Rutherford led the way to today's understanding of the structure of the atom. What were their contributions?

Short answer

J. J. Thomson's contribution to the understanding of the atom's structure includes the discovery of electrons in 1897 and proposing the "plum pudding model," where negatively charged electrons are dispersed throughout a positively charged "soup." This discovery played a significant role in understanding the nature and behavior of atoms. Ernest Rutherford, through his gold foil experiment in 1909, discovered the nucleus of an atom, which he deduced was small, dense, and positively charged. Rutherford's discovery led to the modern understanding of atomic structure, known as the Rutherford model or the nuclear model of the atom, where the majority of an atom's mass is concentrated in its nucleus, with electrons orbiting around it.

Step-by-step solution

J. J. Thomson's contribution

J. J. Thomson discovered the electron in 1897 through his experiments with cathode rays. He proposed the "plum pudding model" of the atom, in which negatively charged electrons were dispersed throughout a positively charged "soup." This was the first time that an atomic structure was proposed to have negatively charged subatomic particles, known as electrons. Thomson's discovery of electrons played a significant role in understanding the nature and behavior of atoms and led the way to the development of early atomic models.

Ernest Rutherford's contribution

Ernest Rutherford refined the atomic model through his famous gold foil experiment in 1909. He discovered the nucleus of an atom, which he deduced was small, dense, and positively charged center. Rutherford's experiment showed that the majority of an atom's mass is concentrated in its nucleus, with the electrons orbiting around it. This explained why most of the alpha particles in his experiment passed through the gold foil with minimal deflection, while some bounced back due to the repulsion from the nucleus. Rutherford's discovery of the atomic nucleus paved the way for the modern understanding of atomic structure, known as the Rutherford model or the nuclear model of the atom.