BIBLIOGRAPHY

•GOOGLE IMAGIES

•WWW.WIKIPEDIA.COM

•NCERT PHYSICS BOOK

•Comprehensive Lab manual

• https://phys.libretexts.org
 CERTIFICA
TE
This is to certify that
Pratyush Kumar
Mishra
Has successfully completed
his physics
Project on

ELECTROSCOPE
Undet the supervision and
guidance of
MR VK PATHAK
In the partial fulfillment of the
physics practical
Assessment conducted during the
academic year
2024-25
EXAMINER
TEACHER

DAV KAPILDEV PUBLIC

SCHOOL
 (SESSION: 2024-
25)
PHYSICS INVESTIGATORY
PROJECT
(ELECTROSCOPE)

SUBMITTED TO:
SUBMITTED BY:
MR VK PATHAK
PRATYUSH KUMAR MISHRA
CLASS XII
ROLL
NO:49

BOARDS ROLL NO:

TOPIC

ELECTROSCOPE INVESTIGATORY
PROJECT
 INTRODUCTION
What is Electroscope?

Electroscope, is an instrument used for detecting the

presence of an
Electric charge or of ionizing radiation, usually consisting
of a pair of
Thin gold leaves suspended from an electrical conductor
that leads to
The outside of an insulating container.

E An electric charge brought near the conductor or in

contact with it
Causes the leaves to stand apart at an angle according to
Coulomb’s law, the like electric charge either induced.in
or
Transferred to each leaf causes them to repel each other.

E Radiation from radioactive materials introduced into a

charged
Electroscope ionizes the gas within, permitting the charge
on the
Leaves to leak off gradually. The rate at which the leaves
ofa
Charged electroscope converge to their parallel
uncharged position
Is proportional to the intensity of radiation present.
 TYPES OF
ELECTROSCOPE

1. Pith-ball Electroscope:

As the name suggests, it consists of one or two small

balls that are
Made up of a lightweight non-conductive substance and
known as
Pith. To determine whether the object is charged or not by
using
This electroscope, the object is brought close to the
uncharged pith-
Ball. The force of attraction between the ball and object
shows that
The object is charged.

2. Gold-leaf Electroscope:

It consists of a vertical conductive rod with a metal ball

on the top
And two thin and parallel strips of gold leaf attached at
the bottom.
Invented by Abraham Bennet in 1787, this electroscope is
Comparatively more sensitive than a pith-ball one. To
prevent the
Gold leaf from drafts of air, it is kept in a glass bottle. The
gold
Leaves, which are kept in a glass flask to prevent them
from the
Effect of air, spread apart into inverted “V” whenever a
charged
Object is brought close to them.

3. Needle Electroscope:

It consists of a plate connected to a support.stand and a

pivoted
Free-swinging needle on either side of the stand. If a
charged object
Is brought near to the plate, then the needle will gain the
same
Charge and will swivel away.
 USES OF
ELECTROSCOPE

Following are some common uses of an electroscope:

1. Detecting Electric Charges:

Electroscopes are primarily used to detect the presence
of
Electric charges. When an object with an electric charge
(either
Positive or negative) is brought near the conducting ball
or plate
Of the electroscope, the leaves will either repel or attract
each
Other, indicating the presence.and type of charge.

2. Demonstrating Static Electricity:

Electroscopes are often used in educational settings to
Demonstrate static electricity phenomena. For example,
you can
Rub a balloon against your hair to.create static charge
and then
Bring it close to the.electroscope to show.the leaves
diverge due
To the charge transfer.

3. Measuring Electric Potential:

Electrometers, which are more sensitive versions of
Electroscopes, can be used to: measure electric potential
(voltage). By calibrating an electrometer, you can
determine the
Voltage of an electrical source.

4. Testing for Grounding:

An electroscope can be used to check if an object is
grounded. If
An object is grounded, the electroscope’s leaves will
collapse
Because the charge is dissipated into the Earth. If an
object is not
Grounded, the leaves will remain diverged.

5. Monitoring Radiation:
Some radiation detection devices use an electroscope or
a
Similar instrument to detect and measure ionizing
radiation.
When radiation interacts with the air, it can create
charged
Particles that affect the electroscope’s leaves.

6. Historical Experimentation:

Electroscopes have played.a significant role in the history

of
Electricity and have been used in various experiments by
Scientists such as Benjamin Franklin and Charles-Augustin
de
Coulomb to explore the nature of electric charges and
forces.

7. Atmospheric Electricity:

Electroscopes have been used in atmospheric research to

study
Atmospheric electricity andthe behaviour of charges in
the
Atmosphere, especially during thunderstorms and other
weather
Phenomena.

.8 Assessing Charge Distribution:

In some scientific experiments, electroscope

measurements are
Used to assess the distribution of charge on objects and
to study
Electrostatic phenomena.

9. Qualitative Charge Detection:

Electrometers can be used to determine the qualitative
Distribution of electric charge on different objects or
materials.
AIM

To make an Electroscope using Glass bottle, Aluminium

foil,
Plastic straw and Copper wire
Materials Required:

Glass Jar with A Lid

V Awl

2 inches of Plastic Straw

10 inches of 14 Gauge Copper Wire

Hot Glue

Pliers

Balloon

Two 2-inch Square Pieces of Aluminium Foil

 THEORY
© The principle of an electroscope is based on the atomic
structure
Of elements, the internal structure of metal elements,
charge
Induction and the idea that like charges repel and
opposite
Charges attract.

© All elements are composed of electrons, protons and

neutrons-
With the electrons surrounding the nucleus. In metals
these outer
Electrons are loosely held by the nuclei and are relatively
free to
Move within the material.

© An electroscope has a metal detector knob on top

which is
Connected to a pair of metal leaves hanging from the
bottom of
The connecting rod.
© When no charge is present the metal leaves hang
loosely
Downward. However; if an object with a charge is brought
near
The electroscope one of the two things can happen.
© If the charge is positive electrons in the metal of the
Electroscope are attracted to the charge, and move
upwards out
Of the leaves. This causes a temporary positive charge
and
Because like charges repel, the leaves separate.

© When the charge is removed, the electrons return to

their
Original positions and leaves relax.

© So, an electroscope reacts to the presence of a charge

through
The movements of electrons either into or away from the
leaves.

© In either case the leaves separate but the electroscope

cannot tell
If the charge or a negative charge- it is only responding to
the
Presence of an electrical charge.
PROCEDURE
© Start by punching a hole in the jar lid large enough for
the straw
And the copper wire to fit through.

© Insert the straw into the hole and centre it, leave a
couple of
Inches of space from the bottom of the jar. Use the hot
glue to
Secure the straw in place.

© Next, insert the copper wire into the straw, with about
2 inches
Protruding from the straw inside the jar.

© Use the pliers to bend | inch of the copper wire into a

hook to
Hold the aluminium foil later.

© Use the pliers to bend the remaining copper on top of

the lid into
A coil to provide more surface area.

© Next, cut a small slitin the aluminium.foil and slide

them onto
The copper hook.

© Attach the lid to the jar.

© Now, rub the balloon on your head.

© Place the balloon next to the copper coils. Observe

what
Happens to the metal inside the jar.

© Move the material away and touch your hand to the

coiled wire.
Observe what happens.

© Repeat steps 8 to 10 with any other materials you

would like to test
OBSERVATION
« As the charged comb approaches the metal rod, the
leaves inside
The container start to separate and repel each other. This
is a
Clear indication that they have acquired a similar charge
and are
Trying to move away from each other.

«+ When the charged.comb is removed, the leaves return

to their
Original position, indicating that the charge has
dissipated, and
The leaves have neutralized.

« If you touch the metal rod with a charged object (e.g.,

the
Charged comb), the leaves will diverge even more due to
the
Transfer of charge. However, if the charge is opposite in
nature,
The leaves will collapse, showing,an attraction between
them.
CONCLUSION
Electroscope is an effective tool for detecting and studying
electric
Charges. By constructing a working model of this device and
Conducting the experiment, we observed how the leaves respond
to
The presence of electric charges. The leaves diverged when
exposed to
A like charge and collapsed when exposed to an opposite charge.
This
Experiment helps to illustrate the basic principles of electrostatics
and
Provides a simple yet insightful way to visualize electric charge
Interactions.
 PRECAUTIONS
1. Be cautious when handling scissors or any sharp
objects used to
Cut the aluminium foil. Ensure that you cut the foil
carefully to
Avoid any accidental cuts or injuries.

2. Before working with the aluminium foil, make sure your

hands
Are clean to prevent transferring oils or dirt onto the foil.
Contaminants on the foil can affect its performance.

3. Aluminium foil is delicate, so handle it gently to avoid

tearing
Or damaging it.

4. Be aware of static electricity, as it can cause the foil to

stick to
Surfaces or become difficult to. Work with. Ground
yourself by
Touching a grounded. Object before handling the foil to
minimize
The risk of static interference.
5.Ensure that the aluminium foil is thin enough to be
sensitive to
Electric charge but thick enough to be workable.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to express my immense gratitude to

My physics teacher MR VK PATHAK for the
Help and guidance he provided for completing
This project.

I also thank my parents who gave their ideas and

Inputs in making this project. Most of all I thank
Our school management, for providing us the
Facilities and opportunity to do this project.

Lastly, I would like to thanks my classmates who

Have helped me in this project. Their support made
This project fruitful.

PRATYUSH KUMAR MISHRA

 CONTENT PAGE NO

TOPIC 05

INTRODUCTION 06

TYPES OF 07
ELECTROSCOPE
USES OF 09
ELECTROSCOPE
AIM 12

MATERIALS REQUIRED 12

THEORY 13

PROCEDURE 15

OBSERVATION 17

CONCLUSION 18

PRECAUTIONS 19