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In the quiet town of Manchester in 1909, a brilliant scientist named Ernest Rutherford embarked on an audacious (bold) journey to unravel the mysteries of the atom. Accompanied by his diligent (hardworking) assistants, Hans Geiger and Ernest Marsden, Rutherford was about to conduct an experiment that would revolutionize science.
In their laboratory, a peculiar setup awaited: a source of alpha particles was enclosed in a sturdy lead box. These alpha particles were like tiny, positively charged bullets. Rutherford’s plan was to fire them at an incredibly thin sheet of gold foil and observe what happened.
The laboratory was shrouded in anticipation. The team placed the gold foil in the center, surrounded by a circular screen coated with zinc sulfide, a substance that emitted scintillations (flashes of light) when struck by alpha particles. Every scintillation was meticulously (carefully) recorded, marking the path of the alpha particles.
As they commenced the experiment, something extraordinary transpired. Most alpha particles traversed (passed through) the gold foil effortlessly, as if the foil were as insubstantial (weak) as mist. Rutherford and his team were perplexed (confused). How could this be?
Upon deeper scrutiny, they noticed a few alpha particles deviating (changing direction) at small angles, deviating slightly from their original path. Even more astonishing were the rare alpha particles that rebounded at large angles, some even ricocheting (bouncing) straight back! This unexpected phenomenon (event) was both perplexing and exhilarating.
Rutherford pondered this enigma (mystery). The prevalent (commonly accepted) Plum Pudding Model, proposed by J.J. Thomson, suggested that atoms were a diffuse cloud of positive charge with electrons embedded within. But the experiment’s results contradicted this notion.
Rutherford had a revelation. He hypothesized (guessed) that the atom must possess a minuscule (tiny), densely packed core brimming with positive charge. This core, which he christened the nucleus, was responsible for the significant deflections of the alpha particles. The rest of the atom was mostly empty space, allowing the majority of particles to pass through unhindered.
This groundbreaking revelation not only refuted the Plum Pudding Model but also ushered in a new era of atomic understanding. Rutherford’s discovery of the nucleus was akin to finding the heart of the atom, a monumental leap in scientific knowledge.
Thus, Rutherford’s experiment became a cornerstone of modern physics, illustrating the importance of empirical (observed) inquiry and the beauty of scientific discovery. Through their meticulous efforts and unrelenting curiosity, Rutherford and his team illuminated the intricate tapestry of the atomic world, forever changing our comprehension of the universe.
By understanding these terms and the story of Rutherford’s experiment, students can both appreciate a pivotal moment in scientific history and expand their vocabulary.
English words you learned and revised
Audacious (bold), Diligent (hardworking), Meticulously (carefully), Scintillations (flashes of light), Traversed (passed through), Insubstantial (weak), Perplexed (confused), Deviating (changing direction), Ricocheting (bouncing), Phenomenon (event), Enigma (mystery), Hypothesized (guessed), Minuscule (tiny), Brimming (filled), Empirical (observed)
Congratulations you learned 15 new words
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