Rutherford’s alpha–particle scattering experiment showed that:

(i) Electrons have a negative charge.
(ii) The mass and positive charge of the atom is concentrated in the nucleus.
(iii) Neutron exists in the nucleus.
(iv) Most of the space in the atom is empty.

Which of the above statements is correct?

Statements (ii) and (iv) are correct.

On the basis of his experiment, Rutherford put forward the nuclear model of an atom, which had the following features:

• There is a positively charged centre in an atom called the nucleus. Nearly all the mass of an atom resides in the nucleus.
• Most of the space inside the atom is empty because most of the α-particles passed through the gold foil without getting deflected.