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Rutherford Scattering

This simulation is a preview version, and may have functional or usability bugs.
Rutherford Scattering Screenshot Download 1,581 kB
Version: 1.05 (change log)
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.

See Below

Teaching Resources

Main Topics

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

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

Tips for Teachers

The teacher's guide (pdf) contains tips created by the PhET team.

Teaching Ideas

Title Authors Level Type Updated
Rutherford Scattring Simulation This contribution has received a Gold Star because it is a high quality inquiry-based activity that follows the PhET design guidelines (PDF) and teachers have found it useful. Amy Phillip MS HW 11/13/08
Visualization and Visual Illusions SIM Homework This contribution was designed by PhET. This contribution has received a Gold Star because it is a high quality inquiry-based activity that follows the PhET design guidelines (PDF) and teachers have found it useful. Kathy Perkins, Carl Wieman UG-Intro HW 1/9/11
Rutherford Scattering This contribution has received a Gold Star because it is a high quality inquiry-based activity that follows the PhET design guidelines (PDF) and teachers have found it useful. Sarah Borenstein MS Lab 11/13/08
Atomic models homework (Inquiry based) This contribution was designed by PhET. This contribution has received a Gold Star because it is a high quality inquiry-based activity that follows the PhET design guidelines (PDF) and teachers have found it useful. Sam McKagan, Kathy Perkins and Carl Wieman UG-Adv
UG-Intro		 HW 1/8/11
Rutherford Scattering--Building the Atomic Model Activity Leslie Hepler HS CQs 11/21/13
러더포드 산란 SIM 사용지침서 이화국(Wha Kuk Lee) HS
MS		 Demo
Other		 5/8/13
Rutherford Experiment Pauline Seales HS Lab 8/2/10
Atomic Structure steve hymes HS Lab 3/19/08

You can submit your own ideas and activities.

Translated Versions:

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

Software Requirements

Windows Macintosh Linux
Microsoft Windows
XP/Vista/7
Sun Java 1.5.0_15 or later 		OS 10.5 or later
Sun Java 1.5.0_19 or later 		Sun Java 1.5.0_15 or later

Credits

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