gold-leaf electroscope

Gold leaf electroscope, from the physics department of Rome university "La Sapienza". Source: Wikipedia

An instrument used (mainly historically) for the measurement of electric charge or potential, based on one or two fine gold foils suspended vertically and free to deflect under electrostatic repulsion when an electric charge was applied. Although never very accurate, the instruments could sometimes detect as little as 10^-14 coulombs and were used to measure radiation intensity through the rate of charge leakage caused by ionization of the air.

Related categories

• ELECTRICITY AND MAGNETISM
• INSTRUMENTATION

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