Building and Using an Electroscope

What is the primary purpose of an electroscope?

What phenomenon explains why your hair stands on end when you rub a balloon on it?

When a balloon is rubbed on hair, what type of charge does the hair acquire?

In the described electroscope activity, what material is used to create a coil on top of the lid, increasing the surface area?

Which of the following materials is NOT explicitly listed as a required material for constructing the electroscope?

What should be done with the aluminum foil in the electroscope construction?

Why is it important to use the correct gauge wire in the electroscope?

What should be done to ensure the best results when using the electroscope?

What is the significance of bending the copper wire into a coil on top of the electroscope's lid?

What is the next step once the material being tested is moved away and the coiled wire is touched?

What is the role of the plastic straw in the electroscope setup?

If you observe that the aluminum foil leaves in your electroscope barely separate when a charged object is brought near, what might be a likely cause, based on the troubleshooting section?

In the context of the experiment outlined, what is the independent variable when testing different materials?

Which of the following is the MOST accurate description of the sequence of events in charging the electroscope by induction?

If, after constructing the electroscope, you find that the foil leaves are already slightly separated before bringing a charged object nearby, what is the MOST likely explanation?

What is the primary objective of step 9, where you touch your hand to the coiled wire after observing the effect of a charged material on the electroscope?

Suppose you replace the aluminum foil with a heavier metal, such as lead. How would this likely affect the electroscope's sensitivity, and why?

Why must the slit cut into the aluminum foil be small and precise?

Why is a glass jar used instead of a metal jar?

If you bring a negatively charged object near the electroscope, which of the following BEST describes the movement of electrons within the device?

What is the function of the hot glue in the electroscope construction?

How do you know that your hair is positively charged after rubbing the ballon on it?

What is the name of the tool used to bend the copper wire?

What is static electricity?

What is the effect of thicker wire on the electroscope results?

In what units is length primarily measured in this experiment?

What object will have electrons transferred to it when rubbed?

What does the awl do in this activity?

What are the three listed purposes of this experiment?

About how much of the copper wire should protrude past the straw into the jar?

About how much of the copper wire should you bend with pliers into a hook?

What does it mean for your hair to have a 'positive charge'?

The troubleshooting section mentions which possible problem?

Why does rubbing a balloon on hair cause the hair to stand up?

When initially punching a hole in the jar lid, what size should it be?

What action, beyond just rubbing the balloon on your hair, is most important for generating a sufficient charge?

What phenomenon could you use to test if the electroscope is working correctly prior to starting the formal experiment?

If no materials are available besides those listed in the materials list, which of the following tests could you conduct that would still add value to the experiment?

You observe minimal leaf separation after charging the electroscope. What change to the core setup is MOST likely to improve performance?

You've built two identical electroscopes, but one consistently shows greater leaf separation than the other when exposed to the same charged object. Assuming perfect construction, what is the most likely reason for this difference?

Imagine that, instead of aluminum foil, you use a material that is a semiconductor. What results would you foresee?

What is the fundamental principle behind the phenomenon observed when hair stands on end after rubbing a balloon on it?

According to the procedure, after inserting the copper wire into the straw, approximately how much of the wire should protrude inside the jar?

In constructing the electroscope, what gauge of copper wire is specified in the materials list?

What is the purpose of bending the copper wire on top of the lid into a coil?

Why is it important to use the correct gauge wire in the electroscope construction, according to the troubleshooting section?

According to the procedure outlined, what action should be taken immediately after observing the effect on the metal inside the jar when a charged balloon is brought near the copper coils?

Why are the aluminum foil or gold leaf pieces cut with a small slit before being attached to the copper hook?

What is the purpose of using hot glue in the electroscope construction?

When a balloon is rubbed against hair, which of the following describes the movement of electrons?

What should be done to ensure the best results when using the electroscope, according to the troubleshooting section?

In the electroscope experiment, what is the role of the glass jar?

If an electroscope is charged by induction using a positively charged rod, what is the final charge on the electroscope after the grounding wire is removed?

What is the primary purpose of the plastic straw in the electroscope assembly?

Which of the following alterations to the electroscope design would most likely increase its sensitivity to small charges?

What observation would indicate that the electroscope is properly detecting a charge?

If, after constructing the electroscope, you observe that the aluminum leaves deflect in the opposite direction you expect when a charged object is brought near, what is the MOST probable cause, assuming no construction errors?

If you replaced the glass jar with a metal one, what outcome would you likely see?

Why is it recommended to leave a couple of inches of space from the bottom of the jar when inserting the straw?

What is the purpose of touching the coiled wire with your hand after charging the electroscope and observing the leaves?

Which of the following is the MOST likely source of experimental error if the aluminum foil leaves are sticking to the sides of the jar, even when no charged object is nearby?

What is the independent variable in this experiment?

What is the main objective of constructing an electroscope?

During the charging process, how does your hair become positively charged?

What is the role of the pliers in constructing this electroscope?

What is the likely outcome if thinner gauge wire is used than what is recommended?

Which factor is MOST crucial to the success of the electroscope experiment beyond the listed materials and steps?

What part of the electroscope connects the leaves to the coil?

What are the aluminum foils attached to on the electroscope?

After charging a balloon and bringing it near the electroscope, you observe a consistent, but very slow deflection of the foil leaves. All construction appears correct. Which adjustment is MOST likely to improve the speed of the reaction?

A student builds the electroscope but forgets to use the plastic straw, directly inserting the copper wire through the hole in the lid. What is the MOST likely consequence of this omission?

If you want to determine the relative magnitude (amount of charge) of two different materials with your electroscope, what procedure should you follow?

What would be the effect of performing this experiment outside on a very humid day?

Assuming an ideal electroscope in a vacuum, what would be the primary limiting factor in detecting extremely small charges?

When a positively charged object is brought near to, but not touching, the electroscope's coil, what happens to electrons in the aluminum foil leaves?

In what circumstances would you expect the aluminum foil leaves in your electroscope to permanently repel each other and stay separated, even after removing the charged object?