Atoms Are 99% Empty—When a Gold Foil Was Shot, Rutherford Called It Unbelievable #Science #History

Added: 2026-05-06

[00:00:00]Atoms are mostly empty space hiding a dense core of incredible density still invisible today. In 19091911, Hans Geiger and Ernest Marsden under Ernest Rutherford ran the experiment at Manchester. Alpha particles hit thin gold foil expecting slight scatter but most passed through empty space. A few particles bounced back at sharp angles revealing a tiny dense core inside now.

[00:00:26]Rutherford identified a tiny massive nucleus making atoms hollow shells that defy solidity everywhere today. A zinc sulfide screen and microscope let them see each tiny flash of light today. He compared it to firing a cannon ball at tissue paper and having it bounce back.

[00:00:44]He called it the most incredible event forever shaking the notion of solid matter everywhere.