Exit Which of the following is the basis for Rutherford's Planetary Model? A. Positively charged electrons orbit a positively ch
arged nucleus. B. Positively charged electrons orbit a negatively charged nucleus. C. Negatively charged electrons orbit a positively charged nucleus. D. Negatively charged electrons orbit a negatively charged nucleus.
The correct answer is C. Negtively charged electrons orbit a positively charged nucleus.
Explanation
The Rutherford atomic model states that the positive charge of the atom is concentrated in a stationary nucleus of great mass (protons), while the negative electrons move in orbits around the nucleus, linked by the electrical attraction between opposite charges. Also, Rutherford stated that the sum of the negative electrical charges of the electrons must be equal to the positive charge of the nucleus since the atom is electrically neutral. This atom model was associated with a planetary model because it was believed that its structure was similar to the planetary solar system in which the planets revolve around the sun in a single orbit. So, the correct answer is C. Negtively charged electrons orbit a positively charged nucleus.
