STEM02-PHYS_ Experiment 2

Charging an Electroscope

Submission Date:
Group/Kit number 05

Course number Session number 08

Student name(s), ID(s) and signature(s):

Name ID Signature

MLOOK 100053103

SARA 100053204
HESSA 100053401

List the missing item/ quantity, if any:

Item Number Material Order Number Quantity

Aim:
To investigate the workings of an electroscope and which physical quantity it measures. This
experiment will also allow us to detect the presence and determine the sign of electric charges by
means of electrostatic attraction and repulsion.

Objectives:

1. To understand how an electroscope operates and the function of each part.

2. To test the electrostatic charging in its varied forms and how charges interact.

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Introduction:
An electroscope is an early scientific
instrument used to detect the presence and to
quantify the magnitude of the net electric
charge on a body. It was the first electrical
measuring instrument.
The first electroscope, a pivoted needle called
the versorium, was invented by British
physician, physicist and natural philosopher
William Gilbert around 1600. The pith-ball
electroscope and the gold-leaf electroscope
are two classical types of electroscope that
are still used in physics education to
demonstrate the principles of electrostatics.
capacitance to ground, an electroscope can be
regarded as a crude voltmeter. However, the
accumulation of enough charge to detect with
an electroscope requires hundreds or
thousands of volts, so electroscopes are only
used with high-voltage sources such as static
electricity and electrostatic machines.
Electroscopes generally give only a rough,
qualitative indication of the magnitude of the
charge.

A type of electroscope is also used in the

quartz fiber radiation dosimeter.
Electroscopes were used by the Austrian
Scientist Victor Hess in the discovery of
cosmic rays.

Electroscopes detect electric charge by the

motion of a test object due to the action of
electrostatic forces. Since the electric
potential or voltage of an object with respect Figure 1: Gold leaf electroscope
to ground equals its charge divided by its

Table 0: Materials required for the experiment

Position No Material Order No. Quantity
1 Electroscope (with metal pointer) 13027-01 1
2 Faraday-beaker, d = 40 mm, h = 75 mm 13027-03 1
3 Polypropylene rod, d = 8 mm, l = 175 mm 13027-07 1
4 Acrylic rod, d = 8 mm, l = 175 mm 13027-08 1
5 Induction plate 13027-12 1
6 Neon tube 08186-10 1
7 Tripod rod, stainless steel, d = 8 mm, l = 175 mm 02038-00 1
8 Piezo film, 250 x 200 mm, 24 µm, one strip cut 11810-01 1
9 Rubber stopper, d = 49/41 mm, 1 hole 39263-01 1
10 Sheet of dry, rough paper

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 Figure 2: Materials to be used in the experiment

2.1 The functioning of an electroscope

Table 1: Observations with explanations

ITEM OBSERVATIONS + explanations (2 marks each)
The electroscope with metal pointer attracts toward the polypropylene.
2
3 After touching the electroscope, it discharges all the free electrons to the hand.

4 The electroscope with metal pointer attracts strongly toward the acrylic rod
5 The electroscope with metal pointer attracts toward the polypropylene and the acrylic
rod.
6a (with Before removing the film nothing was happening to the electroscope with metal pointer
film above) (with film above) but after removing the film the electroscope with metal pointer was
attracted toward the plate.

6b (with Before removing the plate nothing was happening to the electroscope with metal
film below) pointer (with film below) but after removing the plate the electroscope with metal pointer
was attracted toward the film.

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EVALUATION

Question 1: What have you recognized from the observations made in the items 2, 3, and 4 on
how an electroscope operates? The electroscope with metal pointer detects the charge
of the rods

Question 2: How can we explain the movement of the pointer that we saw in item 4 of the
experiment? The electroscope with metal pointer is neutral but after moving the
acrylic rod towards the electroscope it’s attracts toward the acrylic rod because the
electrons of the acrylic rod attracts toward the positive neutrons

Question 3: What does the electroscope indicate in the item 6?

-a (when the film was above the plate the electroscope with metal pointer didn’t detect
any charge but after removing the film the electroscope with metal pointer
detects charge and moves toward the plate.)

-b(when the film was under the plate the electroscope with metal pointer didn’t detect
any charge but after removing the plate the electroscope with metal pointer
detects charge and moves toward the film.)

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 2.2 To illustrate electrostatic principles of charging and charge interactions
TABLE 2: Observations
OBJECT THE NEEDLE DEFLECTION

Does not go backward Goes partly backward Goes completely backward

Tripod rod

Acrylic rod

Rubber stopper

Faraday-beaker held in
hand
Faraday-beaker fixed
on acrylic rod
Induction plate held in
hand
Induction plate fixed
on acrylic rod
Neon tube

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EVALUATION
Question 1: On the basis of the entries in the Table 2, can you divide the objects into conductors
and insulators?

Conductors insulators
Tripod rod Acrylic rod
Faraday-beaker held in hand Rubber stopper
Induction plate held in hand
Neon tube
Faraday-beaker fixed on acrylic
rod(semi-conductor)
Induction plate fixed on acrylic
rod (semi-conductor)

Question 2: Why, in some cases, does the pointer deflection only partly go back? Take into
account of which two objects were connected together.
because some of the charges of the electroscope moves to the conductor when it’s connected with
an insulator)

Question 3: The electroscope is negatively charged up every time by the polypropylene rod. Now
charge up the electroscope positively with the acrylic rod. Can you obtain the same results as with
the negatively charged up electroscope? YES

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