What exactly is the -particle that Rutherford used to bombard the thin gold foil in his scattering e — Atomic Structure Chemistry Question

💡 Solution & Explanation

The $\alpha$ -particle is identical to a helium nucleus. It consists of 2 protons and 2 neutrons and carries a $+2$ charge, represented as $He^{2+}$ or $^{4}_{2}\text{He}^{2+}$. [29, 30, 49]