Who was Ernest Marsden and what did he do?

Ernest Marsden was a New Zealand physicist known for his work in the early 20th century, particularly in nuclear physics. He is best recognized for his role in the gold foil experiment conducted in 1909 under the supervision of Ernest Rutherford, which led to the discovery of the atomic nucleus. This experiment fundamentally changed the understanding of atomic structure, demonstrating that atoms consist of a small, dense nucleus surrounded by orbiting electrons. Marsden's contributions were pivotal in the development of modern atomic theory.