Electroscope and Earthing Functions

What happens to the aluminium foil strips when they receive the same charge?

What is the main purpose of an electroscope?

What occurs when you touch the paper clip with your hand?

How does earthing help in buildings?

What is the main reason for the accumulation of charges in clouds during a thunderstorm?

What occurs when the magnitude of accumulated charges in clouds becomes very large?

What leads to the formation of streaks of lightning?

Why does the air resist flow of charges under normal conditions?

Electroscope Function

Aluminium foil strips receive a charge from a charged refill through a paperclip (metals are good conductors).
Similarly charged strips repel each other, widening the foil.
This electroscope device tests for object charges.
Electrical charge transfers from a charged object to another via a metal conductor.
Touching the paperclip with a hand discharges the strips, causing them to return to their original state.
Repeated charging and touching discharges the foil strips as charge is transferred to the earth via the body.
This is called earthing.

Earthing Application

Earthing in buildings prevents electrical shocks from current leakage.

Lightning Formation

During thunderstorms, air currents rise while water droplets fall.
This vigorous movement separates charges.
Positive charges accumulate near the upper cloud edges, while negative charges accumulate near the lower edges.
Positive charges also accumulate near the ground.
When charge magnitude increases, air (usually a poor conductor) allows charge flow.
Negative and positive charges meet, creating streaks of light and sound (lightning).
This is an electric discharge.

Explore the principles of how an electroscope operates, including the interaction between charged objects and the concept of earthing. This quiz also covers the conditions for lightning formation and the separation of charges during thunderstorms. Test your understanding of these fundamental physics concepts.