How did Rutherford prepare the gold leaf for the gold leaf test?

In summary, Rutherford prepared the gold leaf for the gold leaf test by hammering a small piece of gold into a thin sheet, which was then cut into smaller squares and placed on a piece of mica. The mica was then mounted onto a metal frame and coated with a thin layer of oil to prevent the gold leaf from sticking to the frame. This allowed for the gold leaf to be easily manipulated and used in the gold leaf experiment, which ultimately led to the discovery of the atomic nucleus.
  • #1
Hasal
2
0
How did Rutherford prepare the gold leaf for the gold leaf test (at that time)
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
Welcome to PF.

Hasal said:
How did Rutherford prepare the gold leaf for the gold leaf test (at that time)
What have you found in your reading and research so far? Please post links to your sources. Thank you.

Also, is this question for schoolwork?
 
  • #3
berkeman said:
Welcome to PF.What have you found in your reading and research so far? Please post links to your sources. Thank you.

Also, is this question for schoolwork?
Dear sir, I am a high school student, so this is for schoolwork.
While learning about Rutherford's gold leaf test in the study of atomic structure, I was taught that it was done by shining a beam of accelerated alpha rays on a gold leaf. Alpha rays can be blocked by air or by paper. So how did he make the thickness of the gold so small?(thikness of gold foil- 0.6 μm)

Is it possible to believe that the technology called gold beating has been used for this?
Thank you.

Gold beating:- https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/BF03215119.pdf

The experiment:-
https://www.vrlabacademy.com/NewsDe...World--Rutherford-s-Gold-Foil-Experiment.html
 
  • #4
Hasal said:
Dear sir, I am a high school student, so this is for schoolwork.
Thank you; I've moved your thread to the schoolwork forums now.

Hasal said:
While learning about Rutherford's gold leaf test in the study of atomic structure, I was taught that it was done by shining a beam of accelerated alpha rays on a gold leaf. Alpha rays can be blocked by air or by paper.
Yes, so they used an evacuated tube for the experiments, it appears:
1689180070904.png

http://large.stanford.edu/courses/2017/ph241/sivulka2/

Hasal said:
So how did he make the thickness of the gold so small?(thikness of gold foil- 0.6 μm)

Is it possible to believe that the technology called gold beating has been used for this?
That's an interesting question. I'm still looking for that information for that time period... :smile:
 
  • Like
Likes Hasal
  • #5
A book of Gold Leaf ("Dutch Metal") can be purchased from a lab equipment supplier for £17. I am not sure if Rutherford had to make it even thinner.
 
  • Like
Likes Hasal
  • #6
The original Geiger article can actually be found:
https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/pdf/10.1098/rspa.1910.0038
Geiger comments on metals being "available" in different thicknesses, except tin, which was "available" in only one thickness. Suggesting that Geiger used foils prepared by others for other purposes, and was restricted to thicknesses others had chosen.
 
  • Informative
  • Like
Likes Hasal and berkeman
  • #7
Hasal said:
Is it possible to believe that the technology called gold beating has been used for this?
Yes. This is very old tech.
 
  • Like
Likes Hasal

Similar threads

  • Materials and Chemical Engineering
Replies
2
Views
974
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
3
Views
2K
  • General Math
Replies
11
Views
935
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
4
Views
2K
  • Set Theory, Logic, Probability, Statistics
Replies
6
Views
998
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
3
Views
1K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
4
Views
4K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
3
Views
2K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
4
Views
2K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
11
Views
2K
Back
Top