Geiger–Marsden experiment

E682057

The Geiger–Marsden experiment, also known as the gold foil experiment, was a landmark early 20th-century physics experiment that revealed the existence of a small, dense atomic nucleus and led to the development of the Rutherford model of the atom.

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Predicate Object
instanceOf landmark experiment in atomic physics ⓘ
physics experiment ⓘ
scattering experiment ⓘ
alsoKnownAs Rutherford scattering experiment ⓘ
gold foil experiment ⓘ
category experiments in Rutherford scattering ⓘ
historical experiments in physics ⓘ
conductedBy Ernest Marsden ⓘ
Hans Geiger ⓘ
country United Kingdom ⓘ
demonstrated most of the atom is empty space ⓘ
nucleus carries most of the atom’s mass ⓘ
nucleus is small compared to atomic size ⓘ
detectionTechnique visual counting of scintillations ⓘ
endDate 1913 ⓘ
field atomic physics ⓘ
nuclear physics ⓘ
historicalPeriod early 20th century ⓘ
influenced Bohr model of the atom ⓘ
inspiredBy Ernest Rutherford ⓘ
keyResult discovery of atomic nucleus ⓘ
evidence that positive charge is concentrated in a small volume ⓘ
refutation of the Thomson plum pudding model ⓘ
ledTo Rutherford model of the atom ⓘ
planetary model of the atom ⓘ
location University of Manchester ⓘ
method measurement of scattering angles ⓘ
use of scintillation screen to detect alpha particles ⓘ
namedAfter Ernest Marsden ⓘ
Hans Geiger ⓘ
observed backscattering of alpha particles ⓘ
large-angle scattering of alpha particles ⓘ
publication 1909 paper on alpha particle scattering ⓘ
significance foundation of nuclear physics ⓘ
provided experimental basis for modern atomic theory ⓘ
startDate 1908 ⓘ
supervisedBy Ernest Rutherford ⓘ
supervisingScientist Ernest Rutherford ⓘ
supportedModel nuclear model of the atom ⓘ
testedModel Thomson plum pudding model ⓘ
usedProjectile alpha particles ⓘ
usedSource radioactive alpha emitter ⓘ
usedTarget gold foil ⓘ
thin metal foil ⓘ

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Referenced by (6)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Hans Geiger → knownFor → Geiger–Marsden experiment ⓘ
Hans Geiger → conductedExperiment → Geiger–Marsden experiment ⓘ
Ernest Marsden → knownFor → Geiger–Marsden experiment ⓘ
Thomson plum pudding model → challengedBy → Rutherford gold foil experiment ⓘ
linked to: Geiger–Marsden experiment
Geiger–Marsden experiment → alsoKnownAs → Rutherford scattering experiment ⓘ
linked to: Geiger–Marsden experiment
Rutherford school of nuclear physics → associatedExperiment → Geiger–Marsden experiment ⓘ