Rutherford Scattering

Rutherford Scattering Screenshot
  • Quantum Mechanics
  • Atomic Nuclei
  • Atomic Structure
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Topics

  • Quantum Mechanics
  • Atomic Nuclei
  • Atomic Structure
  • Atoms
  • Alpha Particles
  • Electric Charges
  • Electric Force
  • Rutherford Scattering
  • Plum Pudding Model

Description

How did Rutherford figure out the structure of the atom without being able to see it? Simulate the famous experiment in which he disproved the Plum Pudding model of the atom by observing alpha particles bouncing off atoms and determining that they must have a small core.

Sample Learning Goals

  • Describe the qualitative difference between scattering off positively charged nucleus and electrically neutral plum pudding atom.
  • For charged nucleus, describe qualitatively how angle of deflection depends on: Energy of incoming particle, Impact parameter, Charge of target
Version 1.05

Teacher Tips

Download teacher tips PDF Overview of sim controls, model simplifications, and insights into student thinking ( PDF ).

Teacher-Submitted Activities

Visualization and Visual Illusions SIM Homework A gold star indicates high-quality, inquiry-based activities that follow the PhET design guidelines. This contribution was designed by PhET. Kathy Perkins, Carl Wieman UG-Intro HW Physics
Atomic models homework (Inquiry based) A gold star indicates high-quality, inquiry-based activities that follow the PhET design guidelines. This contribution was designed by PhET. Sam McKagan, Kathy Perkins and Carl Wieman UG-Adv
UG-Intro
HW Chemistry
Physics
Rutherford Scattering A gold star indicates high-quality, inquiry-based activities that follow the PhET design guidelines. Sarah Borenstein MS Lab Chemistry
Rutherford Scattring Simulation A gold star indicates high-quality, inquiry-based activities that follow the PhET design guidelines. Amy Phillip MS HW
How do PhET simulations fit in my middle school program? This contribution was designed by PhET. Sarah Borenstein MS Other Earth Science
Physics
Biology
Chemistry
PhET Sims Aligned to the Chemistry Curriculum This contribution was designed by PhET. Julia Chamberlain UG-Intro
HS
Other Chemistry
Mapping of PhET and IBDP Physics Jaya Ramchandani HS Other Physics
MS and HS TEK to Sim Alignment Elyse Zimmer HS
MS
Other Physics
Biology
Chemistry
Rutherford Scattering--Building the Atomic Model Activity Leslie Hepler HS CQs Chemistry
러더포드 산란 SIM 사용지침서 이화국(Wha Kuk Lee) HS
MS
Demo
Other
Physics
Chemistry
Rutherford Experiment Pauline Seales HS Lab Physics
Chemistry
Atomic Structure steve hymes HS Lab Chemistry
Atividades sobre os Modelos Atômicos Gabriela Clemente Brito Saldanha e Ana Karine Portela Vasconcelos MS
UG-Intro
Other Chemistry

Language Download or Run Tips
Arabic All العربية Run now تشتت رذرفورد
Arabic (Saudi Arabia) All العربية (السعودية) Run now تشتت رذرفورد
Basque All Euskara Run now Rutherdord-en esperientzia
Belarusian All беларускі Run now Рэзерфордаўскае рассейванне
Bosnian All Bosanski Run now Rаderfordovo (Rutherford) rаsijanje
Chichewa All Nyanja Run now 卢瑟福散射
Chinese (Simplified) All 中文 (中国) Run now 卢瑟福散射
Chinese (Traditional) All 中文 (台灣) Run now Rutherford Scattering 拉塞福散射實驗
Croatian All hrvatski Run now Rutherfordovo raspršenje
Czech All čeština Run now Rutherfordův rozptyl
Danish All Dansk Run now Rutherford spredning
Dutch All Nederlands Run now Rutherford verstrooiing
Estonian All Eesti Run now Rutherfordi hajumine
Finnish All suomi Run now Rutherfordin koe
French All français Run now Diffusion de Rhuterford
Galician All Gallegan Run now Dispersión de Rutherford
German All Deutsch Run now Rutherford Streuung
Greek All Ελληνικά Run now Σκέδαση Rutherford
Hebrew All עברית Run now פיזור ראתרפורד
Hungarian All magyar Run now Rutherford-szórás
Indonesian All Bahasa Indonesia Run now Hamburan Rutherford
Italian All italiano Run now Diffusione di Rutherford
Japanese All 日本語 Run now ラザフォード散乱
Kannada All Kannada Run now ರದರ್ಫೋರ್ಡ್ ನ ಚದುರುವಿಕೆ
Kazakh All Kazakh Run now Себудің Резерфорды
Khmer All Khmer Run now ការ​ពង្រាយ
Korean All 한국어 Run now 러더포드 산란
Lao All Lao Run now ການກະເຈີງຂອງຣັດເທີຟອສ
Macedonian All македонски Run now Рутерфордово расејување
Persian All فارسی Run now پراکندگی رادرفورد
Polish All polski Run now Doświadczenie Rutherforda
Portuguese All português Run now Dispersão de Rutherford
Portuguese (Brazil) All português (Brasil) Run now Espalhamento de Rutherford
Serbian All Српски Run now Радерфордово (Rutherford) расејање
Slovak All Slovenčina Run now Rutherfordov pokus
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Spanish (Mexico) All español (México) Run now Dispersión de Rutherford
Spanish (Peru) All español (Perú) Run now Dispersión de Rutherford
Swedish All svenska Run now Rutherfordspridning
Thai All ไทย Run now การกระเจิงของรัทเทอร์ฟอร์ด
Turkish All Türkçe Run now Rutherford Saçılması
Turkmen All Turkmen Run now Rezerford ýaýratmasy
Ukrainian All українська Run now Резерфордівське розсіяння
Vietnamese All Tiếng Việt Run now Tán xạ Rutherford

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Design Team Third-party Libraries Thanks To
  • Wendy Adams
  • Michael Dubson
  • Chris Malley (developer)
  • Sam McKagan (lead)
  • Kathy Perkins
  • Carl Wieman
  • Interviewer: Sam McKagan