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Question

According to Rutherford's model of the atom, where are most of the atom's mass and positive charge concentrated?

This question was previously asked in
RRB Technician 2026 Grade 3 Question Paper (7-Oct-2026) (Shift 3)
The correct answer is

In a small, dense nucleus at the center

In Rutherford's alpha-particle scattering experiment, most alpha particles passed straight through a thin gold foil, so most of the atom is empty space.

A few particles were deflected through large angles and a very small number bounced back, showing that the positive charge and almost all the mass are packed in a tiny, dense region — the nucleus at the centre.

Evenly distributed or spread throughout the atom describes Thomson's plum-pudding model, which this experiment disproved.

Electrons, which revolve around the nucleus, carry negative charge and have negligible mass, so the mass and positive charge are not in the electron cloud.

Hence, the answer is In a small, dense nucleus at the center.

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Similar Questions

  1. Which of the following would change if a neutron is added to the nucleus of an atom, but not a proton or electron?

  2. The statement that electrons are embedded in a positive sphere is explained by which model?

  3. Why are electrons not included in the calculation of an atom’s mass number?

  4. An atom of phosphorus has an electronic configuration of 2, 8, 5. What is its valency and how does it attain stability?

  5. What is the charge and location of an electron in an atom?

  6. Why does the number of protons in an atom never change during chemical reactions?

  7. The mass of an electron is approximately:

  8. Which statement best describes a neutron in the structure of an atom?

  9. If an atom of magnesium loses a proton, what happens to its atomic number and identity?

  10. Consider the following statements regarding Thomson's model of an atom.

    Statement I: The atom is a sphere of positive charge with electrons scattered inside it.

    Statement II: Thomson's model could explain the presence of the nucleus in an atom.

    Which of the following is TRUE?


Important Questions from Structure of Atom

  1. According to Bohr's model, electromagnetic radiations possess dual character properties behaving like:
  2. Which of the following is NOT an isotope of hydrogen atom?
  3. The atomic number of an element is equal to which of the following?
  4. Which of the following factors primarily determines the size of an atom?
  5. The atomic radius of hydrogen atom is
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