DPS NORTH KOLKATA

CLASS –VIII
PHYSICS: ELECTRICITY
SM-2

DETECTING AND MEASURING CHARGE

The force with which two similar charges repel each other (or two dissimilar charges attract each
other) depends on the amount of charge they carry.

Gold-leaf electroscope

The gold-leaf electroscope is used to detect, measure and find the nature of a charge. It
consists of two thin strips (leaves) of gold attached to a metal rod, which is suspended inside
a glass jar. The mouth of the jar is fitted
with a rubber stopper, through which the
rod passes. The other end of the rod is
attached to a metal disc. Some
electroscopes have strips of silver, copper
or brass instead of gold.

When you bring a charged body in

contact with the metal disc of an
electroscope, the gold leaves get charged
by conduction. They then diverge,
indicating the presence of a charge. And
the amount they diverge gives you an idea
of the magnitude of the charge on the
body you are testing.

However, the leaves will diverge whether

the body you are testing has a positive or a
negative charge. To determine the nature
of the charge, you have to first charge the
electroscope with a known charge.
Suppose you charge it with a positively
charged glass rod. The leaves will get
positively charged and move apart. Then
touch the disc of the electroscope with the
body you want to test.

(a) The distance between the leaves may increase. This means the body you are testing is also
positively charged.

(b) The distance between the leaves may decrease, which means that the body you are
testing is negatively charged.
FLOW OF CHARGE

Some materials allow charge to flow through them, or they conduct charge. These are called
conductors. The ability of a material to conduct charge depends on the freedom with which
negative charges (electrons) in its atoms can move about. Metals, in general, are good
conductors. Silver and copper are excellent conductors. However, you cannot charge metals
easily by rubbing. The human body can also conduct charge to some extent. That is why
you can get an electric shock. When you touch a charged object, negative charges flow
between the object and the earth through your body till the object becomes electrically
neutral. Providing a path for electricity to flow between an object and the earth or ground is
called earthing or grounding.
Most non-metals, like wood, phosphorus, rubber and plastic, are non-conductors, or
insulators. Carbon is an exception. The lead in your pencil is graphite, a form of carbon,
which is a good conductor. It is easier to charge non-conductors by friction.

Charge an electroscope by touching its disc with a

charged plastic ruler or glass rod. Its leaves will diverge.
Now connect the disc to the disc of an uncharged
electroscope, with the help of an uncharged plastic
ruler. The leaves of the first electroscope will remain
as they were and those of the second will not move.
Next, remove the insulation (plastic covering) from
the ends of a piece of electric wire. Place the ends of
the wire over the discs of the two electroscopes. The
leaves of the second electroscope will diverge and the
divergence of the leaves of the first electroscope will
decrease, until the divergence of both is the same. If
you remove the wire and touch the disc of either
electroscope with your hand, the leaves will collapse