Practice portal › Atoms › Alpha-particle Scattering and Rutherford's Model
Asked in GUJCET 2007 · Rutherford's model and its limits
Idea: the impact parameter and the scattering angle are linked by b=(Ze² cot(θ/2))/(4πε₀E), where E is the α-particle's kinetic energy.
With b=0 the right-hand side must vanish, so cot θ/2=0.
cot is zero at 90°, so θ/2=90° and θ=180°.
Physically, a particle aimed dead centre at the nucleus is stopped and sent straight back along its own path.
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