In rutherford's famous experiment, he shot heavy, fast moving, positive alpha particles at a thin gold foil. based on thomson's plum pudding model of the atom, what did rutherford expect to happen, and why? all the alpha particles would be deflected by the foil because of the even distribution of mass and charge throughout the atom. all the alpha particles would pass straight through the foil because of the even distribution of mass and charge throughout the atom. most of the alpha particles would become embedded in the foil because they are attracted to the negative electrons in the atom. some of the alpha particles would be deflected and some would pass through, because of the negative charge of the electron cloud.