Rutherford's Gold Foil Experiment: Peering into the Nucleus

Rutherford's experiment involved alpha particles passing through a gold foil to study atomic structure. Most particles passed through with little deflection, indicating atoms are mostly empty space. Some particles deflected at large angles, suggesting a concentrated positive charge at the center, termed the nucleus. A few particles bounced back, confirming the nucleus's rigidity and mass. This experiment refuted Thompson's model and led to the nuclear model of the atom.

How did Rutherford explain the deflection of alpha particles when they came close to a positively charged body?

What is the significance of the nucleus according to Rutherford's conclusions?

What was the estimated size of the nucleus as concluded by Rutherford?