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Turning Plastic Into Gold: An Analogy To Demonstrate the Rutherford Gold Foil Experiment

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Robert B. Gregory

Department of Chemistry, Indiana University–Purdue University Fort Wayne, Fort Wayne, IN 46805-1499

Ed Vitz

Department of Chemistry, Kutztown University, Kutztown, PA 19530

J. Chem. Educ., 2007, 84 (4), p 626

DOI: 10.1021/ed084p626

Publication Date (Web): April 1, 2007

Abstract

An in-class demonstration designed to be an analogy to the Rutherford–Geiger–Marsden gold foil experiment is described. A laser pointer, two picture frames, and a sheet of plastic are all that is required to perform the demonstration. The demonstration is presented in two stages, (i) representing what Rutherford expected his researchers to find and (ii) then representing what they actually found. The demonstration can be used to stimulate a discussion of the way that scientific theory changes as new knowledge advances the state of the art and of the way that discrepant events often result in new insight into science and nature.

Keywords (Audience):

First-Year Undergraduate / General

Keywords (Domain):

Demonstrations

Keywords (Feature):

JCE DigiDemos: Tested Demonstrations

Keywords (Pedagogy):

Analogies / Transfer

Keywords (Subject):

Atomic Properties / Structure

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This article has been cited by 1 ACS Journal articles (1 most recent appear below).

The Science Teacher: Spring 2008
Steve Long
Journal of Chemical Education2008 85 (6), 772
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  Steve Long
  Journal of Chemical Education2008 85 (6), 772
  This article reviews chemistry-related articles published between Summer 2007 and February 2008, in The Science Teacher (TST). A new TST column addresses safety-with emphases in reviewed articles on chemical hygiene plans, bloodborne pathogens, ionizing ...
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