Question

What will you observe when the metal top of an electroscope is touched with:

(a) a positively charged object?

(b) a negatively charged object?

Answer 1

(a) When a positively charged electroscope is touched, electrons enter the electroscope from the ground. Being positively charged, the electroscope attracts some electrons from the conducting material. The negatively charged electrons enter the electroscope and neutralize the positive charge.

(b) When a negatively charged object is brought near an electroscope the charge will induce a positive charge on the leaves.