Question

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Answer 1

Basically, this is what Rutherford proved: In an atom, a dense postively charged nucleus containing proton and neutrons is orbited by negatively charged electrons.

Before, it was believed that the atom was more like a blueberry muffin shape, with the "blueberries" being electrons all randomly floating around , no one knew about a dense positive nucleus.

So basically, he revolutionized the model of the atom

Answer 2

Here is the process:
Hypothesis - experiment - results - conclusion - (repeat as necessary) - Theory - Law
Rutherford did this up to the theory part, he demonstrated that the atom was mainly empty space (as most of the alpha particles passed straight through the gold foil, unhindered) where the positive charge areas (nuclei) in the atom were very, very small compared to the volume of the atom itself. Thus he disproved the previously accepted model of the atom which held that the atom was a sea of positive charge with electrons as little boats drifting around in the sea (if this were the case the all of the alpha-particles would have been deflected).