How to make an electroscope?
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1
Gather your materials before you begin. Having everything on hand will make it easier to do the experiment. You'll need a styrofoam cup, pencil or pen, plastic straw, tape, aluminum pie pan, string or thread, ruler, and aluminum foil.[1]
2
Use a sharp pencil to poke 2 holes on opposite sides of a styrofoam cup.Make the holes close to the bottom of the cup. They should be big enough for a straw to fit through them.[2]
3
Insert a plastic straw through the holes. Any kind of plastic drinking straw will work. It just needs to be long enough to go through both holes in the cup. Try to center the straw so that there is an equal length on either side of the cup.[3]
4
Turn the cup upside-down and tape it to the bottom of an aluminum pie pan.Tape it near the edge of the pan so 1 end of the straw is hanging off the side of the pan.[4]
Make sure you use an aluminum pan or your electroscope won’t work.
5
Cut an 8 inch (20 cm) piece of thread and tie 3 knots at one end. Use a ruler to measure the thread before you cut it. Don't worry if the thread gets a little bit shorter when you tie the knots. The knots should be close together but not touching.[5]
6
Make an aluminum foil ball around the knots at the end of the thread. To make the ball, tear off a small piece of aluminum foil and wrap it around all 3 knots. You want the foil ball to be about the size of a marble.[6]
Wrap the aluminum foil tightly around the knots so the ball doesn’t fall off.
7
Tape the loose end of the thread to the end of the straw. You want to tape it to the end of the straw that’s hanging off the aluminum pan. When you’re done, the aluminum foil ball should hang down right next to the edge of the pan.[7]
How to Make an Electroscope
Co-authored by Bess Ruff
An electroscope is a simple device that's used to see if something has an electrical charge. By putting together some simple household items, you can easily make your own electroscope at home.
Method One of Two:
Making a Basic Electroscope
1
Gather your materials before you begin. Having everything on hand will make it easier to do the experiment. You'll need a styrofoam cup, pencil or pen, plastic straw, tape, aluminum pie pan, string or thread, ruler, and aluminum foil.[1]
Advertisement
2
Use a sharp pencil to poke 2 holes on opposite sides of a styrofoam cup.Make the holes close to the bottom of the cup. They should be big enough for a straw to fit through them.[2]

3
Insert a plastic straw through the holes. Any kind of plastic drinking straw will work. It just needs to be long enough to go through both holes in the cup. Try to center the straw so that there is an equal length on either side of the cup.[3]
4
Turn the cup upside-down and tape it to the bottom of an aluminum pie pan.Tape it near the edge of the pan so 1 end of the straw is hanging off the side of the pan.[4]
Make sure you use an aluminum pan or your electroscope won’t work.
5
Cut an 8 inch (20 cm) piece of thread and tie 3 knots at one end. Use a ruler to measure the thread before you cut it. Don't worry if the thread gets a little bit shorter when you tie the knots. The knots should be close together but not touching.[5]
Advertisement
6
Make an aluminum foil ball around the knots at the end of the thread. To make the ball, tear off a small piece of aluminum foil and wrap it around all 3 knots. You want the foil ball to be about the size of a marble.[6]
Wrap the aluminum foil tightly around the knots so the ball doesn’t fall off.

7
Tape the loose end of the thread to the end of the straw. You want to tape it to the end of the straw that’s hanging off the aluminum pan. When you’re done, the aluminum foil ball should hang down right next to the edge of the pan.[7]
8
Test your pith ball electroscope. To test out your electroscope, you need to create some static electricity. You can do that by rubbing an inflated balloon and a styrofoam plate together. Then, put the charged plate on a non-metal table and set your electroscope on top of it. You should see the aluminum foil ball move away from the aluminum pan.[8]
Try testing different objects to see how well they hold a charge. The more the ball moves away from the pan, the more charged the object is.
Gather your materials before you begin. Having everything on hand will make it easier to do the experiment. You'll need a styrofoam cup, pencil or pen, plastic straw, tape, aluminum pie pan, string or thread, ruler, and aluminum foil.[1]
2
Use a sharp pencil to poke 2 holes on opposite sides of a styrofoam cup.Make the holes close to the bottom of the cup. They should be big enough for a straw to fit through them.[2]
3
Insert a plastic straw through the holes. Any kind of plastic drinking straw will work. It just needs to be long enough to go through both holes in the cup. Try to center the straw so that there is an equal length on either side of the cup.[3]
4
Turn the cup upside-down and tape it to the bottom of an aluminum pie pan.Tape it near the edge of the pan so 1 end of the straw is hanging off the side of the pan.[4]
Make sure you use an aluminum pan or your electroscope won’t work.
5
Cut an 8 inch (20 cm) piece of thread and tie 3 knots at one end. Use a ruler to measure the thread before you cut it. Don't worry if the thread gets a little bit shorter when you tie the knots. The knots should be close together but not touching.[5]
6
Make an aluminum foil ball around the knots at the end of the thread. To make the ball, tear off a small piece of aluminum foil and wrap it around all 3 knots. You want the foil ball to be about the size of a marble.[6]
Wrap the aluminum foil tightly around the knots so the ball doesn’t fall off.
7
Tape the loose end of the thread to the end of the straw. You want to tape it to the end of the straw that’s hanging off the aluminum pan. When you’re done, the aluminum foil ball should hang down right next to the edge of the pan.[7]
How to Make an Electroscope
Co-authored by Bess Ruff
An electroscope is a simple device that's used to see if something has an electrical charge. By putting together some simple household items, you can easily make your own electroscope at home.
Method One of Two:
Making a Basic Electroscope
1
Gather your materials before you begin. Having everything on hand will make it easier to do the experiment. You'll need a styrofoam cup, pencil or pen, plastic straw, tape, aluminum pie pan, string or thread, ruler, and aluminum foil.[1]
Advertisement
2
Use a sharp pencil to poke 2 holes on opposite sides of a styrofoam cup.Make the holes close to the bottom of the cup. They should be big enough for a straw to fit through them.[2]

3
Insert a plastic straw through the holes. Any kind of plastic drinking straw will work. It just needs to be long enough to go through both holes in the cup. Try to center the straw so that there is an equal length on either side of the cup.[3]
4
Turn the cup upside-down and tape it to the bottom of an aluminum pie pan.Tape it near the edge of the pan so 1 end of the straw is hanging off the side of the pan.[4]
Make sure you use an aluminum pan or your electroscope won’t work.
5
Cut an 8 inch (20 cm) piece of thread and tie 3 knots at one end. Use a ruler to measure the thread before you cut it. Don't worry if the thread gets a little bit shorter when you tie the knots. The knots should be close together but not touching.[5]
Advertisement
6
Make an aluminum foil ball around the knots at the end of the thread. To make the ball, tear off a small piece of aluminum foil and wrap it around all 3 knots. You want the foil ball to be about the size of a marble.[6]
Wrap the aluminum foil tightly around the knots so the ball doesn’t fall off.

7
Tape the loose end of the thread to the end of the straw. You want to tape it to the end of the straw that’s hanging off the aluminum pan. When you’re done, the aluminum foil ball should hang down right next to the edge of the pan.[7]
8
Test your pith ball electroscope. To test out your electroscope, you need to create some static electricity. You can do that by rubbing an inflated balloon and a styrofoam plate together. Then, put the charged plate on a non-metal table and set your electroscope on top of it. You should see the aluminum foil ball move away from the aluminum pan.[8]
Try testing different objects to see how well they hold a charge. The more the ball moves away from the pan, the more charged the object is.
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