Identifying Charges Using a Pith-ball Electroscope?

[Quarks.]

Question:
Can you use a pith-ball electroscope, to determine the charge of an unknown object?

Is it possible?

 

[Simon Bridge]

Welcome to PF.

Can you use a pith-ball electroscope, to determine the charge of an unknown object?

Yes. It is possible. xD
http://www.execulink.com/~ekimmel/central/pithlab.htm

 

[Quarks.]

Welcome to PF.
Yes. It is possible. xD
http://www.execulink.com/~ekimmel/central/pithlab.htm

How would this be done?

 

[Simon Bridge]

The link has a guide for experiments ... you do it by using your knowledge of electric charges.

You know that like charges repel and opposites attract.
You know the force is proportional to the size of the charge.
You know which sort of static electricity is positive and which negative.
So what's the problem?

This is, historically, how electricity was investigated.
Also - there are demos on youtube - honestly, anyone would think you weren't sitting in front of a computer :)

 

[sardar]

Yes, it is possible to use a pith-ball electroscope to determine the charge of an unknown object. A pith-ball electroscope works by detecting the presence of electric charges through the movement of lightweight pith balls. When an object with a charge is brought near the electroscope, the pith balls will either be attracted or repelled, indicating the presence of a positive or negative charge. By observing the movement of the pith balls, the magnitude and type of charge on the unknown object can be determined. However, it is important to note that the accuracy of this method may be affected by external factors such as humidity and the presence of other nearby charged objects. It is always best to conduct multiple trials and use other methods of charge detection for confirmation.