Electroscope Puzzles
Test your knowledge of charged and uncharged pith ball and gold leaf electroscopes with these fun puzzles! Click the buttons to reveal hints and answers.
Puzzle 1: What happens when a charged pith ball comes near an uncharged pith ball?
Think about induction and attraction.
The uncharged pith ball is attracted to the charged one because of charge induction.
Puzzle 2: What happens when two charged pith balls of the same charge are brought near each other?
Like charges repel each other.
The two pith balls repel each other due to the repulsion of like charges.
Puzzle 3: Why does a charged pith ball lose its charge when touched?
Consider grounding and charge flow.
Touching the pith ball grounds it, allowing the charges to flow into your body or the earth.
Puzzle 4: What causes the leaves of a gold leaf electroscope to diverge?
Think about how like charges interact.
When charged, like charges accumulate on the leaves, causing them to repel and diverge.
Puzzle 5: What happens when an uncharged gold leaf electroscope is touched by a charged rod?
Charge is transferred by contact.
The electroscope becomes charged, and the leaves diverge.
Puzzle 6: What happens when a negatively charged rod is brought close to the cap of a gold leaf electroscope?
Think about charge induction.
Electrons are repelled into the leaves, causing them to diverge.
Puzzle 7: Why does an uncharged pith ball not affect the leaves of a gold leaf electroscope?
There is no charge transfer.
Without a charge, there is no induction or charge flow to affect the leaves.
Puzzle 8: How can you test the charge of an unknown object using a gold leaf electroscope?
Observe how the leaves react when the object is brought close.
Bring the object close to the cap. If the leaves diverge further or collapse, the object is charged.
Puzzle 9: What happens if a charged pith ball touches an uncharged one?
Charge flows during contact.
The uncharged pith ball gains some charge, and both balls may repel or attract depending on the charges.
Puzzle 10: Why do the leaves of a gold leaf electroscope collapse when the cap is grounded?
Grounding neutralizes the charge.
The grounding allows excess charge to flow into the earth, causing the leaves to collapse.
