Answer

A & C

Explanation

Ernest Rutherford, a physicist from New Zealand, is known for his work on the structure of the atom. He discovered that atoms have a small, dense center, which he called the nucleus (Option C). This was a significant departure from the "plum pudding" model proposed by J.J. Thomson, which suggested that atoms were a diffuse cloud of positive charge with electrons embedded within. Rutherford's discovery of the nucleus was based on his famous gold foil experiment, where he observed that most alpha particles passed straight through a thin sheet of gold foil, but some were deflected at large angles. This indicated that most of the atom's mass and positive charge were concentrated in a small area.Additionally, Rutherford's work led to the understanding that atoms are made up of smaller particles (Option A). He discovered the proton, a positively charged particle in the nucleus, and his student James Chadwick later discovered the neutron, another particle in the nucleus. This discovery was crucial in understanding that atoms are not indivisible, as previously thought, but are composed of subatomic particles.The idea that electrons move in specific orbits (Option B) was proposed by Niels Bohr, who built upon Rutherford's model by suggesting that electrons orbit the nucleus in specific energy levels. This concept is known as the Bohr model of the atom.The statement that atoms are small and cannot be divided or destroyed (Option D) was part of Dalton's atomic theory, which predates Rutherford's work. Dalton's theory proposed that atoms are indivisible and indestructible particles, which we now know is not entirely accurate since atoms can be divided into subatomic particles and can undergo nuclear reactions that change the atom's composition.Therefore, the statements made by Ernest Rutherford about atoms are that they have a small, dense center (Option C) and are made up of smaller particles (Option A).