Static Electricity Demonstration: Make an Electroscope

(updated 21 November 2022)

An electroscope is a simple device used to detect nearby static electricity, as well as to give an indication of the strength of the electric field.

A good demonstration project is to make an electroscope to use in other experiments.

This lesson will answer those questions.

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Purpose

The purpose of the project is to make a working model of an electroscope and then test it out to detect static electricity.

Materials

You can use everyday materials to make a simple electroscope:

• Glass jar or flask
• Cardboard or cork cover or lid
• Metal rod or large nail
• Leaves made of two pieces of thin metal foil
• Ball of aluminum foil at top of nail or spi

Procedure

1. Cut the cardboard a little bigger than the top of the jar.
2. Stick the nail through the middle of the cardboard lid.
3. Attach two pieces of thin (thickness) Mylar foil to the end of the nail. You might try some thin plastic strips or even thin paper.
4. Put the lid on the jar.
5. When you put a charged object close to the nail head, the foil strips should separate.

1Cut the cardboard a little bigger than the top of the jar.

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2Stick the nail through the middle of the cardboard lid.

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3Attach two pieces of thin (thickness) Mylar foil to the end of the nail. You might try some thin plastic strips or even thin paper.

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4Put the lid on the jar.

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5When you put a charged object close to the nail head, the foil strips should separate.

Test device

Create some static electricity by running a comb through your hair or rubbing a balloon against a sweater. Then test your electroscope by brining the source of static charges close to the device. The fols leaves should separate.

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Electrify others

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Resources and references

Websites

Experiments Resources