Rutherford scattering

Rutherford scattering is a phenomenon that was explained by Ernest Rutherford in 1911, and led to the development of the orbital theory of the atom. It is now exploited by the materials analytical technique Rutherford backscattering. Rutherford scattering is also sometimes referred to as Coulomb scattering because it relies on static electric (Coulomb) forces. A similar process probed the insides of nuclei in the 1960s, called Deep Inelastic Scattering.

References

• The Scattering of α and β Particles by Matter and the Structure of the Atom, E. Rutherford, Philosophical Magazine. Series 6, vol. 21. May 1911
• On a Diffuse Reflection of the α-Particles, H. Geiger and E. Marsden, Proceedings of the Royal Society, 1909 A vol. 82, p. 495-500