Static Electricity: Gold Leaf Electroscope

The gold leaf electroscope is used to study electric charge

Components of a Gold Leaf Electroscope: A metal cap, that is attached to A metal rod, which passes through An insulating plug, into An earthed container with a glass front A gold leaf that is attached near the base of the metal rod

There are 4 uses of a Gold Leaf Electroscope:

1. Detect small charges:The leaf diverges when a charged body is brought close to the cap of the electroscope

2. Estimate the size of a charge:By measuring the extent to which the leaf diverges

3. Identify whether a charge is positive or negative:Charge the electroscope by induction both positively and negatively, and observe whether the divergence of the leaf increases or decreases in both cases

4. Distinguish between an insulator and a conductor:Charge the electroscope and touch the cap with the objectIf the leaf collapses the object is a conductorIf the leaf does not collapse then the object is an insulator

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