Discussion

According to the, The Physics Classroom (2012) One common

demonstration performed with the electroscope involves the induction process of
charging. In the induction process of charging, a charged object is brought near to but
not touching the electroscope. The presence of the charged object above the plate of
the electroscope, induces electrons within the electroscope to move accordingly. With
the charged object still held above the plate, the electroscope is touched. At this point
electrons will flow between the electroscope and the ground, giving the electroscope an
overall charge. When the charged object is pulled away, the needle of the electroscope
deflects, thus indicating an overall charge on the electroscope.
You can detect static electricity through the principle of electrostatic
induction, which indicates if there are static electrical charges on the surface of some
object.Electrostatic induction brings opposite electrical charges to the surface of a
material and can be combined with the property that like charges repel to demonstrate
the existence of static electricity.The most common static electricity detector is the
electroscope. Electronic amplification of the induced charges is another method to
detect static electricity (Kurtus, R. 2016)
When you bring an item with a static electric charge near an object that is
not charged, the electric field surrounding the static electric charges will induce or draw
the opposite electrical charges toward the surface of that material. This works the best
with materials that conduct electricity, but it will also work with most other materials to a
lesser degree.If the neutral item is lightweight, it will be drawn toward the other item

once the opposite charge is induced. A simple experiment to demonstrate this method
of detecting the presence of static electricity is to pick up some pieces of tissue with a
comb you have run through your hair or a balloon that was rubbed on wool. Or you
could attract a pith ball or small roll of paper that is hanging on a string.In other words,
you could use a lightweight object on a string as a static electricity detector. You would
just bring it close to the other object to see if it is attracted.You can even use the hairs
on your arm to detect static electricity. The hairs will stand on end and point toward the
static charge. (Kurtus, R. 2016)
According to School Physics, (2013) when a charge is put on the disc at the top it
spreads down to the plate and leaf. This means that both the leaf and plate will have the
same charge. Similar charges repel each other and so the leaf rises away from the plate
- the bigger the charge the more the leaf rises.
The leaf can be made to fall again by touching the disc - you have earthed the
electroscope. An earth terminal prevents the case from becoming live. The electroscope
can be charged in two ways: by contact - a charged rod is touched on the surface of the
disc and some of the charge is transferred to the electroscope. This is not a very
effective method of charging the electroscope.by induction - a charged rod is brought up
to the disc and then the electroscope is earthed, the rod is then removed. The two
methods give the gold leaf opposite charges.

Detection of Static Electricity by Ron Kurtus - Succeed in Understanding Physics:

School for Champions. (2016). Retrieved March 28, 2016, from
http://www.school-for-champions.com/science/static_detection.htm#.Vvirr9J97IU
Kurtus, R. (2016, February 18). Detection of Static Electricity by Ron Kurtus - Succeed
in Understanding Physics: School for Champions. Retrieved March 28, 2016,
from http://www.school-forchampions.com/science/static_detection.htm#.Vvirr9J97IU
schoolphysics ::Welcome::. (2013). Retrieved March 28, 2016, from
http://www.schoolphysics.co.uk/age11-14/Electricity%20and
%20magnetism/Electrostatics/text/Gold_leaf_electroscope/index.html?
PHPSESSID=cdf01c700118d7176135bf73fe4180ff