Why do the leaves of an electroscope spread apart?

When the metal terminal is touched with a charged object, the gold leaves spread apart in a ‘V’. This is because some of the charge on the object is conducted through the terminal and metal rod to the leaves. Since they receive the same sign charge they repel each other and thus diverge.

Why do the gold leaves spread apart when the rod approaches but not touch the top of the electroscope?

Conversely, if the rod is brought near the knob but doesn’t touch it, the electroscope will appear the same while the rod is near. That is, the negative charge in the rod repels the electrons in the ball, causing them to travel down to the leaves. The leaves will separate while the rod is nearby.

Why do the leaves move apart?

The leaves are now both negatively charged, and thus, they experience electrostatic repulsion and move apart. The higher the induced charge, the farther apart the leaves will move.

Why do the metal foil leaves in the electroscope repel?

When a positively charged object is brought near the electroscope (Fig. 6), negative charges in the metal of the scope move toward the positive object, causing the leaves to have a positive charge, and the leaves repel each other.

Why gold is used in gold-leaf electroscope?

The leaves of the gold-leaf electroscope should be thin and light. Now gold is a ductile metal that can be beaten to produce very thin leaves. Moreover, gold does not react with air. For these reasons gold leaves are used in an electroscope.

What causes the foil leaves to move apart when the charged rod touches the metal ball?

Since the electroscope is a conductor, electrons move down to the leaves, being repelled byt he negative charge of the insulator. The sphere is thus temporarily positively charged. The extra negative charge in the foil leaves causes them to separate.

Why do the leaves of a gold leaf Electroscope diverge when a charged body is brought in contact with its disc?

The leaves of an electroscope diverge because when an object is touched on the metal disc, the charge travels through the metal rod to the leaves. Since LIKE charges repel, the charge travels till the leaves and the open up as both the leaves have like chargeS.

How does a foil leaf electroscope work?

The electrons, which are negatively charged, can then travel through the copper wire of the electroscope down to the pieces of foil, which both become negatively charged. These negative charges push against each other, causing the pieces of foil to repel.

What happens to the gold leaves when you discharge the electroscope?

The gold leaf collapses, though by this time the electroscope bears a positive charge, because it has lost some electrons through your body. Now remove the plastic rod. The gold leaf diverges again.

Why the gold leaf of the electroscope diverge from the plate?

When the metal terminal is touched with a charged object, the gold leaves spread apart in an inverted ‘V’. This is because some of the charge from the object is conducted through the terminal and metal rod to the leaves. Since the leaves receive the same sign charge they repel each other and thus diverge.

What is the principle of gold leaf Electroscope?

A gold-leaf electroscope is a simple device which is used to identify the electric charge present in a body. Their operation is based on the principle of like sign charge repulsion. When the leaves, which are electrically connected, become electrically charged, they push apart from each other.

How does gold leaf Electroscope work?

Gold leaf electroscope has two gold leafs suspended from a metal(usually brass) stem in a vacuumed glass jar and connected to a metal cap. Detect charge: Body under test is touched with the metal cap. If the leaves diverge, the body is charged and if there is no effect on leaves, then the body is uncharged.

How do gold leaf electroscopes work?

The charge then flowed down to the gold leaves and evenly distributed across their surfaces. Once electrified, the leaves moved apart because their similar charges triggered repulsion. Some models of gold leaf electroscopes also featured a conductive disc or ball at the apex. Attached to the foot of others, “earthing strips” could be found.

Why do the leaves of a gold leaf plant hang together?

Since each leaf contains a similar charge, the leaves repel each other. Opposite charges attract, like charges repel. Over time, the charges “leak” out into the air, and the gold leaves again relax and hang side by side because the charge has left them.

What causes the leaves of an electroscope to move?

If the object has a positive charge, it will pull electrons up to the top terminal. This will cause the leaves of the electroscope to be more positively charged, causing them to move further apart. If the object has a negative charge, it will repel electrons from the top terminal.

Why do the gold leaves on a brass ball attract each other?

That’s why they hang there, there is no charge in them at all. When you apply an electical charge to the brass ball device, it delivers the charge, be it positive or negative (but usually negative) to the gold leaves. Since each leaf contains a similar charge, the leaves repel each other.