The Famous Work of Ernest Rutherford

Ernest Rutherford (1871-1937) was one of the greatest physicists of the world. He lectured in leading universities in the USA and England.

Rutherford’s famous work is “The Scattering of Alpha and Beta Particles of Matter and the Structure of the Atom”. The book deals with so-called “atom models”, according to which the atom is pictured as composed of a central charge surrounded by a sphere of electrification of equal but opposite charge.

The atom had always been regarded as the smallest indivisible units of which matter was composed. Further research showed that the atom was made up of smaller parts and that its structure was very complex. It resembled the solar system, with a central nucleus and a number of electrons, very much smaller than the nucleus and revolving around it. It was shown by Rutherford that the atom could be bombarded so that the electrons could be thrown off, and nucleus itself could be broken in the process of splitting the nucleus, matter was converted into energy which for scientists of the 19-th century seemed to be impossible.

The splitting of the atom has opened to man a new and enormous source of energy. The most important results have been obtained by splitting the atom of uranium.

At present we are only at the beginning of the application of atomic energy and all its possible uses for peaceful purposes in power engineering, medicine and agriculture.