electroscope

American  

[ih-lek-truh-skohp] / ɪˈlɛk trəˌskoʊp /

noun

1. a device for detecting the presence and determining the sign of electric charges by means of electrostatic attraction and repulsion, often between two pieces of gold leaf enclosed in a glass-walled chamber.

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electroscope British  

/ ɪˈlɛktrəʊˌskəʊp /

noun

1. an apparatus for detecting an electric charge, typically consisting of a rod holding two gold foils that separate when a charge is applied

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Other Word Forms

• electroscopic
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of electroscope

First recorded in 1815–25; electro- + -scope

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

electroscope

There, some are transferred to the positive rod by touch, leaving the electroscope with a net positive charge.

From Textbooks ● Aug. 12, 2015

Specifically, what would the leaves of the electroscope do if other charged objects were brought near its knob?

From Textbooks ● Aug. 12, 2015

What happens to the charged electroscope when a conductor is moved between its plastic sheets, and why?

From Textbooks ● Jun. 19, 2013

Photons at five hundred million volts make just as big a splash in an electroscope as might electrons many times stronger.

From Time Magazine Archive

Let charged rods or other powerfully charged bodies be brought near the electroscope outside the cage.

From Hawkins Electrical Guide, Number One Questions, Answers, & Illustrations, A Progressive Course of Study for Engineers, Electricians, Students and Those Desiring to acquire a Working Knowledge of Electricity and its Applications by Nehemiah Hawkins