Think Inside the Box: Recreating Rutherford's Scattering

Abstract

The Rutherford scattering experiment, conceived by Ernest Rutherford and carried out by Hans Geiger and Ernest Marsden, provided the first direct evidence of a compact atomic nucleus, fundamentally altering the understanding of atomic structure. The original experiment involved directing alpha particles from a radioactive source toward a thin gold foil and observing their deflection using a zinc sulfide scintillation screen. This paper presents an accessible and low-cost approach to reproducing the key features of the Rutherford experiment using commercially available components, offering a practical platform for educational demonstrations and introductory nuclear physics investigations.