Which of the following could not be explained by Rutherford's nuclear atomic model ?
A.Stability of the atom✓ Correct
B.Presence of nucleus at the centre of atom
C.Comparison of sizes of atom and nucleus
D.Nucleus is positively charged
Explanation
Rutherford's nuclear model of the atom could not explain the stability of the atom. According to classical electromagnetic theory, an electron revolving around the nucleus should continuously emit radiation, lose energy, and spiral into the nucleus, making the atom unstable. This contradiction was later resolved by Niels Bohr's quantized atomic model. Rutherford's model successfully demonstrated the existence of a small, dense, positively charged nucleus at the centre of the atom and provided a comparison of atomic and nuclear sizes through his gold foil scattering experiment.
💡 Practice unlimited CDS PYQs + AI-tracked progress on each topic. Sign up free →