What contributions did Ernest Rutherford make to the field of physics?

Answer by  MarkWinters (7)

Ernest Rutherford was a pioneer or nuclear physics, some of his major contributions include showing how atoms disintegrated to give radioactivity, for which he was awarded the Nobel prize in Chemistry, and discovering the nucleus and its role in the internal structure of the atom.

Answer by  cogomad (19)

Ernest Rutherford (1871 to 1937) was arguably the father of nuclear physics. A chemist and physicist, Rutherford first postulated that atoms consisted of a negatively charged outer region and a relatively compact, positively charged, inner core. He is also credited with the idea of a "half-life" for radioactive elements.