If the alpha particle scattering experiment were conducted using a foil of a metal other than gold, the observations would remain largely the same, with a slight variation based on the specific metal used. This is because the experiment’s primary purpose is to observe the interaction between alpha particles and atomic nuclei, and the specific material of the foil (within reason) is less important than the nature of the interaction itself.
Elaboration:
General Observations:
Regardless of the metal, most alpha particles would pass through the foil undeflected, indicating that most of the atom’s volume is empty space. A small number of alpha particles would be deflected by small angles, and a very few would be deflected by larger angles, including some that would be reflected back. This suggests that the positive charge and most of the mass of the atom are concentrated in a very small volume, the nucleus.
Specific Variations:
The extent of deflection (especially the angles at which particles are deflected) could vary slightly depending on the metal used. For example, a lighter metal might have fewer deflections than a heavier metal, as lighter nuclei would have a weaker electrostatic interaction with the alpha particles.
Why Gold was Used:
Gold was historically used in the Rutherford experiment because it could be easily made into a very thin foil, which is crucial for ensuring that the interaction between the alpha particles and the atoms is not unduly complicated by multiple layers of the metal.