General Physics 2

Governor Pack Road, Baguio City, Philippines 2600

Tel. Nos.: (+6374) 442-3316, 442-8220; 444-2786;
442-2564; 442-8219; 442-8256; Fax No.: 442-6268 Grade Level/Section: STEM 12 – C1
Email: [email protected]; Website: www.uc-bcf.edu.ph

Module 4 – Physics 2 Subject Teacher:

NAMES: ABALOS, Neon Duke

DESIERTO, Shawn
NGOLAB, Joshua
FIRAZA, Jeneen
MENDOZA, Jenica
PEREZ, Krizel
DATE: MAY 8, 2020

A. INTRODUCTION

An electroscope is an early scientific instrument that is used to detect the presence and
magnitude of electric charge on a body. It was the first electrical measuring instrument. The first
electroscope, a pivoted needle called the versorium, was invented by British physician William
Gilbert around 1600. The pith-ball electroscope and the gold-leaf electroscope are two classical
types of electroscope that are still used to demonstrate electrostatics.

The electroscope is an instrument that detects the presence of charge on an object,

either through actual contact (conduction) or through induction. When the electroscope itself
is charged, its two conductive components (which vary from electroscope to
electroscope) will acquire like charge and deflect from the vertical position of gravitational
equilibrium. Thus a rod is proven to possess a charge when contact between the rod and
the electroscope transfers charge to the previously neutral electroscope. A charged
object brought in the vicinity of the charged electroscope will change the angle of
deflection, indicating the presence of charge via induction (or induced polarization).

B. MATERIALS (most of these can be found in your homes)

• 14 gauge copper wire (10-12 inches)
(for this, you may extract copper wire from your electronics which are no longer functional)
• Aluminum foil (1 inch x 5 inches)
• drinking straw
• electrical tape
• clear plastic/glass jar
• cardboard OR thick paper (size of the jar’s mouth)
• scissors
• ruler
• balloon
• plastic comb
• pliers

C. PROCEDURES

PART A. MAKING THE ELECTROSCOPE

1. Prepare the needed materials.
2. Trace the mouth of the jar onto a cardboard/illustration board. Cut the pattern using a
scissor. This will serve as the lid of the jar.
3. Punch a hole at the center of the cardboard big enough to fit the straw through.
4. Use the scissors to cut a two-inch long piece of straw.
5. Insert the straw into the hole for your lid. Glue the straw so it is securely fastened to the
lid or you may use a small amount of modelling clay to secure the straw.
 General Physics 2
Governor Pack Road, Baguio City, Philippines 2600
Tel. Nos.: (+6374) 442-3316, 442-8220; 444-2786;
442-2564; 442-8219; 442-8256; Fax No.: 442-6268 Grade Level/Section: STEM 12 – C1
Email: [email protected]; Website: www.uc-bcf.edu.ph

Module 4 – Physics 2 Subject Teacher:

6. Cut a 10-inch piece of copper wire. Twist the top 4 inches into a circle or spiral to create
some surface area.
7. Insert the straight end of the wire through the straw and create a hook about 1 inch
long.
8. Hang two small pieces of aluminum foil on the hook. Make sure they are in contact.
9. Place the hooked end of the metal into the jar and tape the lid to the jar. Make sure
that the aluminum foils are not touching the bottom part of the jar.
10. Test the electroscope.

PART B. TESTING THE ELECTROSCOPE

1. Before you begin, answer question #1.

2. Rub a balloon against your hair to give it a strong negative charge. Touch the balloon
to the twisted wire on top of your Electroscope. ***Make sure you do not touch the
balloon or any other object you’re testing to anything before you touch it to the
electroscope.*** Record what you see in the chart and answer question #2.
3. Discharge the electroscope by touching the twisted wire with your finger for a little
while. Answer question #3.
4. Rub a plastic pen on a piece of silk to get a strong positive charge. Touch the pen to
the twisted wire on top of your electroscope. Record what you see.
5. Discharge the electroscope by touching the twisted wire with your finger for a little
while.
6. Comb your hair with the comb. Touch the comb to the twisted wire. Record what you
see.
7. Repeat steps 1 and 3 again without discharging the electroscope in between the steps.
What happens? Answer question #4.
8. What would happen if you touched the twisted wire two times in a row with a
“charged” pen? Try it. Remember to “recharge” the pen each time by rubbing it with
the silk cloth. What happened? Answer question #5.
9. Experiment to figure out how to get the leaves as far apart as possible. What did you
do? Answer question #6.
10. Answer questions 7 & 8.
11. Find two (2) other objects in the classroom to test with the electroscope. Add these
materials in your record sheet.

D. DATA and RESULTS

Electroscope Chart
Object Electroscope’s Reaction
Balloon When the balloon is near the electroscope, the reaction of
Probable Charge = Negative foil leaves repel each other and when the balloon is far, the
Charge leaves went closer to each other.
When the pen is near the electroscope, the foil leaves still
Pen
stick together and when the pen is moved far from the
Probable Charge = Positive Charge
twisted wire, there is no visible reaction.
Plastic Comb When the plastic comb is near the electroscope, the
Probable Charge = Negative reaction of foil leaves repel to each other. It went closer to
Charge each other if the comb is removed.
 General Physics 2
Governor Pack Road, Baguio City, Philippines 2600
Tel. Nos.: (+6374) 442-3316, 442-8220; 444-2786;
442-2564; 442-8219; 442-8256; Fax No.: 442-6268 Grade Level/Section: STEM 12 – C1
Email: [email protected]; Website: www.uc-bcf.edu.ph

Module 4 – Physics 2 Subject Teacher:

Object: Ruler When the ruler is near the electroscope, the foil leaves repel
Probable Charge = Negative to each other and as the ruler went far from the twisted wire,
Charge the foil leaves go closer to each other.
Object: Tooth Brush When the toothbrush is near the electroscope, the foil leaves
Probable Charge = Negative repel to each other. As the toothbrush go far from the
Charge twisted wire, the foil leaves go closer to each other.

E. QUESTIONS FOR ANALYSIS (2 POINTS EACH)

1. Before you begin the lab, do you think the foil is negatively, positively, or neutrally charged?
Why?
- It is negatively charged because foil is a good conductor of electricity and heat.

2. Can we determine the charge present in the leaves of the electroscope? Explain how.
- Yes. Letting the charged object near to the top terminal of the electroscope. If the object
has a positive charge, the electrons will go through the copper wire. This will cause the
foil from the electroscope to be positively charged causing them to repel.

3. Why is it important to not touch the objects you’re testing to anything else before you touch it
to the electroscope?
- It is important because the charge will be released to our sensors as the charge will pass
through us causing the charged particles to disseminate through our skin.

4. What happens to the gold leaves when you discharge the electroscope?
- When bringing the negatively charged object bear the top terminal, electrons will flow
away from the top terminal, causing the leaves to become less positively charged and
the leaves will drop closer to each other.

5. What happens when you touch the foil ball more than once with the charged pen?
- After touching the pen's second charge, the foil leaves are still attracted.

6. What did you do to get the leaves to spread out as far as possible?
- I rubbed the object in my hair longer enough so that it will have more charges created
in the object.

7. Why do the leaves of the electroscope spread apart?

- Because some of the charges on the object are conducted through the terminal to the
foil leaves. Since the foils are in same charges, they repel to each other and diverge.

8. Where does the charge come from that produces this effect?
- In one object that is rubbed to the hair. The friction from rubbing creates negatively
charged particles which are electrons, so that the electrons can build up to produce
static electricity.
 General Physics 2
Governor Pack Road, Baguio City, Philippines 2600
Tel. Nos.: (+6374) 442-3316, 442-8220; 444-2786;
442-2564; 442-8219; 442-8256; Fax No.: 442-6268 Grade Level/Section: STEM 12 – C1
Email: [email protected]; Website: www.uc-bcf.edu.ph

Module 4 – Physics 2 Subject Teacher:

F. DOCUMENTATIONS
- Paste your documentations here with appropriate captions or send your documentations to
your teacher via messenger.

Materials needed

Electroscope Head

Cardboard

2-inch plastic straw

Coiled Copper Wire

Plastic straw in cardboard lid

Foil Leaves
 General Physics 2
Governor Pack Road, Baguio City, Philippines 2600
Tel. Nos.: (+6374) 442-3316, 442-8220; 444-2786;
442-2564; 442-8219; 442-8256; Fax No.: 442-6268 Grade Level/Section: STEM 12 – C1
Email: [email protected]; Website: www.uc-bcf.edu.ph

Module 4 – Physics 2 Subject Teacher:

Electroscope (Complete)

Electroscope’s reaction with charged balloon.

 General Physics 2
Governor Pack Road, Baguio City, Philippines 2600
Tel. Nos.: (+6374) 442-3316, 442-8220; 444-2786;
442-2564; 442-8219; 442-8256; Fax No.: 442-6268 Grade Level/Section: STEM 12 – C1
Email: [email protected]; Website: www.uc-bcf.edu.ph

Module 4 – Physics 2 Subject Teacher:

Electroscope’s reaction with charged plastic comb.

Electroscope’s reaction with charged pen.

 General Physics 2
Governor Pack Road, Baguio City, Philippines 2600
Tel. Nos.: (+6374) 442-3316, 442-8220; 444-2786;
442-2564; 442-8219; 442-8256; Fax No.: 442-6268 Grade Level/Section: STEM 12 – C1
Email: [email protected]; Website: www.uc-bcf.edu.ph

Module 4 – Physics 2 Subject Teacher:

Electroscope’s reaction with charged ruler.

Electroscope’s reaction with charged toothbrush.