Which one of the following could not be explained by Rutherford's nuclear model?

The correct answer is Stability of the atom.

Key Points

• Rutherford's nuclear model proposed that the atom consists of a dense, positively charged nucleus surrounded by electrons in orbits.
• While it accurately described the presence of a nucleus and its positive charge, it failed to explain why electrons, continuously accelerating in circular orbits, do not lose energy and spiral into the nucleus.
• The model could not account for the stability of the atom, as classical electrodynamics predicted that accelerating electrons should emit electromagnetic radiation and lose energy.
• The inability to explain the atom's stability led to the development of Bohr's model, which introduced quantized orbits to resolve this issue.
• Other aspects of the atom, such as the size comparison between the nucleus and the atom or the nucleus being positively charged, were successfully explained by Rutherford's model.

Additional Information

• Rutherford's Gold Foil Experiment:
  • Rutherford directed alpha particles at a thin sheet of gold foil and observed their scattering pattern.
  • Most alpha particles passed through, but some were deflected at large angles, suggesting a dense, positively charged nucleus.
  • This experiment disproved J.J. Thomson's "plum pudding model" of the atom.
• Limitations of Rutherford's Model:
  • It could not explain the stability of atoms as per classical physics.
  • It failed to describe the discrete spectral lines observed in atomic emission spectra.
• Bohr's Model as an Improvement:
  • Bohr introduced the concept of quantized energy levels for electrons, addressing the stability issue.
  • Electrons could only occupy specific orbits without radiating energy.
• Key Terminology:
  • Electromagnetic Radiation: Energy emitted by accelerating charged particles in the form of waves.
  • Quantization: The concept that certain physical properties, like energy, can only take discrete values.