A gold leaf electroscope is used for detecting and measuring electric charges, and for identifying the nature of the charge:
- Detecting charge: A gold leaf electroscope can detect the presence of an electric charge on a body.
- Identifying the nature of the charge: A gold leaf electroscope can identify the polarity of the charge detected.
- Identifying the body as a conductor or an insulator: A gold leaf electroscope can identify whether a body is a conductor or an insulator.
A gold leaf electroscope works by applying charge to a metal top plate that is connected to two pieces of gold leaf through a stem. If the electroscope is charged, one piece of gold leaf will move away from the other.
Gold is used in gold leaf electroscopes because it doesn’t corrode and can be hammered into a very thin sheet, making it more sensitive to smaller electric charges.
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