Detecting charges with an Electroscope

Materials:

·  Foam cup

·  Bendable straw

·  Scotch magic tape

·  Build the electroscope as shown in the picture

1. Describe how the electroscope can be used to tell the charge of an object

brought near it. ______

Gently and briefly rub the wax paper on some Styrofoam. 2. How can you get the tape to deflect more or less than your first try?

______

Charge various objects and bring them near the loop on the electroscope. Examples of objects you can charge are:

• rubber comb pulled through hair

• glass test tube rubbed with silk

• shoe rubbed across carpet

• balloon rubbed with wool

• plastic spoon rubbed with chamois

3. On which object can you develop the most static charge? ______

4. The least static charge? ______

5. Does the amount and vigor of the rubbing affect the amount of charge an

object acquires? ______

6. Try the test on different days. Can you charge the objects better on

some days than others? If so, compare the weather conditions on each

day. ______

Detecting charges with an Electroscope

Materials:

·  Foam cup

·  Bendable straw

·  Scotch magic tape

·  Build the electroscope as shown in the picture

1. Describe how the electroscope can be used to tell the charge of an object

brought near it. If the leaf on the electroscope moves away for the

charge then the object is the same as the charge on the leaf . If the leaf

moves toward the changed object, the charge on the object is opposite the

charge on the leaf.

Gently and briefly rub the wax paper on some Styrofoam. 2. How can you get the tape to deflect more or less than your first try?

Rubbing the spoon vigorously will cause the leaf to deflect more than when the spoon is not rubbed as much.

Charge various objects and bring them near the loop on the electroscope. Examples of objects you can charge are:

• rubber comb pulled through hair

• glass test tube rubbed with silk

• shoe rubbed across carpet

• balloon rubbed with wool

• plastic spoon rubbed with chamois

3. On which object can you develop the most static charge? ______

4. The least static charge? ______

5. Does the amount and vigor of the rubbing affect the amount of charge an

object acquires? Yes, the greater the amount and vigor of the rubbing,

the greater the charge.

6. Try the test on different days. Can you charge the objects better on

some days than others? If so, compare the weather conditions on each

day. Objects can be charged better on dry, cool days