5 Questions
What is the function of the gold-leaf electroscope?
To detect charge on a body
How are material bodies normally in terms of charge?
Electrically neutral with balanced charges
What causes the divergence of the gold leaves in the electroscope?
Charge flowing onto the leaves when a charged object touches the metal knob
How can a body be charged positively?
By losing some of its electrons
What is essential to electrify a neutral body?
Add or remove one kind of charge
Study Notes
Electroscopes and Charging Bodies
- The gold-leaf electroscope measures the presence and magnitude of electric charge on an object.
- Material bodies are normally electrically neutral, meaning they have an equal number of positive and negative charges.
Charging Bodies
- A body becomes negatively charged when it gains electrons, causing the gold leaves in the electroscope to diverge (move away from each other).
- A body becomes positively charged when it loses electrons, also causing the gold leaves to diverge.
- To electrify a neutral body, it is essential to bring it into contact with another body that has a surplus or deficiency of electrons.
This quiz explores the gold-leaf electroscope, a simple apparatus used to detect charge on a body. It also discusses the acquisition of charge by material bodies and explains how all matter is made up of atoms and/or molecules.
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