Rutherford model

proper noun

A conceptual model of the atom, superseding the plum pudding model, and involving a relatively high central charge concentrated into a very small volume in comparison to the rest of the atom, with this central volume (the nucleus) containing most of the atom's mass. It was superseded by the Bohr model.

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Meanings

proper nounthe Rutherford model
  1. natural sciencesA conceptual model of the atom, superseding the plum pudding model, and involving a relatively high central charge concentrated into a very small volume in comparison to the rest of the atom, with this central volume (the nucleus) containing most of the atom's mass. It was superseded by the Bohr model.

Origin

Devised by Ernest Rutherford.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

Rutherford model. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Rutherford%20model

MLA

“Rutherford model.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Rutherford%20model. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Rutherford model,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Rutherford%20model.

Source: Rutherford model on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.