Ernest Rutherford

Ernest Rutherford

        Ernest Rutherford is named the father of nuclear chemistry and nuclear physics. Rutherford was born August 30th, 1871 in Nelson, New Zealand. He was the fourth child out of 12 children. His parents are James Rutherford and Martha Thompson. Ernest had many accomplishments and successes throughout his career. Many of which include medals, prizes and awards over his discoveries. Ernest Rutherford married Mary Newton in 1900. They conceived one child, Eileen Mary Rutherford who married a physicist. After 66 years, Ernest Rutherford died October 19th, 1937. His sudden death was due to delayed surgery for his umbilical hernia. (“nobelprize.org,” “thefamouspeople.org”)

        When Ernest was a young boy, he was very ambitious and determined. From 10 years old, when he read his first science book, he was immediately enthralled with science.  At age 18, he left to Canterbury University where he had got a scholarship. There at Canterbury University he earned his BA, MA, BCs in mathematics and physics. With these degrees, he was able to go work under J.J. Thompson in Cavendish Laboratory at the University of Cambridge located in the United Kingdom. J.J. Thompson was very impressed with the skills and originality Rutherford had for such a young man. When a positon in chair for physics came up, Thompson automatically recommended Rutherford to go to Canada where Montreal’s McGill University was located. (“nobelprize.org,” “thefamouspeople.org,” “famousscientists.org”)

        At Montreal’s McGill University, at age 27, he took up professorship. This is also where he carried out his research that led up to his winning of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry during 1908. His research and works were over radioactivity. This is when he defined the terms alpha and beta particles. In 1900, at the University of New Zealand, he received his D.Sc. From there till 1903, Rutherford’s studies were focused on transmutation of elements. He returned to England in 1907 to become a Professor at the University of Manchester. (“nobelprize.org,

” “thefamouspeople.org,” “famousscientists.org”)

        1909, Ernest and two of his researchers conducted the gold-foil experiment and discovered the atomic nucleus. (“famousscientists.org”) The nucleus is the positively charged core of an atom. Rutherford’s mentor, Thompson, had created the plum-pudding model which represented the atoms makeup. The gold-foil experiment allowed Ernest to create a more accurate representation of the atom. This new model, called Rutherford model and established in 1919, resembles plants orbiting a star where the nucleus is the star and the electrons are the planets. The comparison used was that nucleus was a fly in a football stadium but the fly was a whole lot heavier and denser than the stadium. The prediction of this experiment was that most particles were going to go straight through and a few would barely deflect. This prediction was wrong, most particles did go through but the particles that deflected were by large degrees, some even fired straight back. The reason was because the positive alpha particles came close or in contact with the positive nucleus and bounced back. (Holt McDougal Physical Science. pg117-118) From there on he was rewarded and made many more accomplishments.