Image Caption
Most of the alpha particles passed through the gold foil without changing direction much as expected, but some came bouncing back in the opposite direction.
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![](https://undsci.berkeley.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/rutherford_scattering-768x593-1.png)
Rutherford and the atom (1 of 4)
Ernest Rutherford used alpha particles (helium atoms stripped of their electrons) to learn about the structure of the atom.![Path of alpha particles fired through gold foil. Gold foil shows plus and minus signs depicting positive and negative charges of other particles in the foil.](https://undsci.berkeley.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/rutherford_atom_2_10802_evo_resources_resource_image_1_original.gif)
Rutherford and the atom (2 of 4)
By firing alpha particles through gold foil, Rutherford was able to test ideas about the interior of the atom.![Right side shows Rutherford's model of the atom with a star pattern, left shows Bohr's model of the atom with concentric circles.](https://undsci.berkeley.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/79366_evo_resources_resource_image_4_original.gif)