Activity #1

SIMULATION OF ERNEST RUTHERFORD’S EXPERIMENT

I- Objectives:
1.
2.
II-Problem:
III-Hypothesis:
IV-Materials: Set-up for simulation (empty box and 1 marble)
V-Procedures:
1. Prepare the set-up for simulation. Cut at least 15 cm from the brim of the box
(dashed line) leaving only some portion that will serve as the legs of the box. Refer to the
figure below.

2. Put your set up in an open area within the classroom or in the isle outside the classroom. Let
your teacher check your set-up before you start the simulation. During the checking,
students are not allowed to observed the teacher.

3. Have a partner and let you and your partner stand 1 m away from the box. Both of you must
be standing in opposite direction of the box. Refer to figure below.

1m 1m

4. Let your partner hold the marble and instruct him/her to roll the marble under the box. Catch
the rolling marble and observed whether the marble passed through undeflefcted, deflected
or it bounced back. Record your observation. Repeat this procedure 25 times. This is your
data set no.1

5. Repeat the procedure #4, this time hold the marble and roll it under the empty box.
Observed whether the marble passed through undeflected, deflected or bounced back.
Record your observation. Repeat this procedure 25 times. This is your data set no.2

6. Add your data no.1 and data no. 2 and determine the percentage of how many times the
marble passed through undeflected, deflected or bounced back. See the formula below. The
result of your team/group will serve as trial no. 1.

Percentage = no. of trial for particular category/average of trial for particular category
x 100

7. Your class is divided into 3 teams or group. The results of team2/group2 and team 3/group3
serves as trial no. 2 and trial no. 3 respectively. Gather all the 3 trials that was performed by
the class. Get the average for undeflected, deflected and bounced back and enter it in the
observation part of your activity sheet.
VI-Observation:

A. Illustration

SET-UP

B. Table

Table 1.1 Percentage Data for the Rolling Marble

TRIALS UNDEFLECTED DEFLECTED BOUNCED BACK

1
2
3
Average

C. Guide Questions:

1. State the problem of Ernest Rutherford and his team when they conduct the
famous experiment of alpha particles and the gold foil? What was your own stated
problem before you perform your simulation? How do you compare it with the
stated problem of Ernest Rutherford?
2. What was Ernest Rutherford’s Experimental Hypothesis? How do you compare this
to your own hypothesis? Why is this so?
3. How do you compare and contrast the materials used by Ernest Rutherford’s team
to the material that you used in your simulation?
4. Based from table 1.1 what percentage is appropriate for the term MOST, SOME
and FEW? Label your table with the aforementioned term.
5. How do you interpret the results of percentage for the following questions?
a. Why Marbles passed through undeflected?
b. Why Marbles were deflected?
c. Why Marbles bounced back?
6. How do you compare your results to the actual results obtain by Ernest Rutherford
in his famous experiment?
7. What was discovered by Ernest Rutherford in his experiment?
8. Based from the interpretation that you made, draw how an atom look like?
9. How do you compare the illustration of an atom to the model of an atom proposed
by Ernest Rutherford?
10. What part of the model of an atom proposed by Ernest Rutherford was exactly
observed in his famous experiment? Which part of the atom was not actually seen
or observed by Ernest Rutherford?

VII-Conclusion: