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The alpha-particle scattering experiment carried out by Rutherford provided important insights into the structure of the atom. It involved firing alpha particles at a thin gold foil and observing how they scattered as they passed through it.
Option 1: Most of the space in the atom is empty. This conclusion can be derived from the experiment because the fact that most alpha particles passed straight through the gold foil, with only a few being deflected, suggests that a vast majority of the atom is empty space.
Option 2: The radius of the atom is about 105 times the radius of the nucleus. This conclusion can be derived from the experiment. By measuring the angles at which the alpha particles were deflected, Rutherford was able to estimate the size of the nucleus and compare it to the size of the atom. He found that the nucleus is much smaller than the atom`s radius, supporting this conclusion.
Option 3: Electrons move in a circular path of fixed energy called orbits. This conclusion could not be derived from Rutherford`s experiment. The experiment focused on the scattering of alpha particles by the nucleus and did not provide direct evidence about the movement of electrons or their orbits.
Option 4: Nearly all the mass of the atom resides in the nucleus. This conclusion can be