Experiment Ea-11

Induction Charging

Description: Special electroscopes are initially uncharged and in electrical contact. When a charged rod of either sign (positive or negative) is brought up to one side, both electroscopes deflect. If they are separated in the presence of the electric field generated by the rod, they are found to have charges of equal magnitude, but opposite sign. One can determine the sign of the charge by bringing the initially charged rod close to each of the separated electroscopes. The electroscope with the same charge as the rod will show an increased deflection; the electroscope with the unlike charge will show a decreased deflection in this test.

 

Both gold leafs are hanging down, as indicated by the arrows, and both will move away from the equilibrium position when a charged rod is moved within close proximity.

 

After one is touched by the rod, the new position is indicated by the arrows. When a rod comes near the left electroscope, the leaf will move up. The right leaf will move down when the same charged rod comes near to it.

 

 

Materials: electroscopes, charged rod (either glass + silk or ebonite + cat's fur)

 

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