When positively charged particles were radiated onto a gold atom, a few of the particles bounced back. which of the following caused this? positively charged protons in the nucleus of the gold atom positively charged electrons in the nucleus of the gold atom negatively charged protons around the nucleus of the gold atom negatively charged electrons around the nucleus of the gold atom

Answer is: Positively charged protons in the nucleus of the gold atom.

This was famous Rutherford's Gold Foil Experiment: he bombarded thin foil of gold with positive alpha particles (helium atom particles, consist of two protons and two neutrons).  

Rutherford observed the deflection of alpha particles on the photographic film and notice that most of alpha particles passed straight through foil.

Rutherford theorized that atoms have their charge concentrated in a very small nucleus.

since the atomic number is the number of protons in the nucleus, as we move to the left on the periodic table, the electrostatic pull between the nucleus and the valence electron shell decreases. as we move down a group (vertical column), the valence shell energy level gets further and further from the nucleus.

the answer would be c