In a laboratory experiment, students use an electroscope to investigate the presence of electric fields. The electroscope consists of a metal rod connected to two thin metal leaves inside a glass container. A charged rod is brought near the metal rod of the electroscope without touching it.

Question

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Which observation best supports the claim that fields exist between objects exerting forces on each other even when the objects are not in contact?



A.
The metal leaves of the electroscope move apart when a charged rod is brought near the metal rod.

B.
The metal leaves of the electroscope move apart only when the charged rod touches the metal rod.

C.
The metal leaves of the electroscope do not move when the charged rod is far away from the metal rod.

D.
The metal leaves of the electroscope move apart when the charged rod is placed inside the glass container.

Answer 1

The observation that best supports the claim that electric fields exist between objects exerting forces on each other even when the objects are not in contact is:

A. The metal leaves of the electroscope move apart when a charged rod is brought near the metal rod.

This observation indicates that the presence of the charged rod creates an electric field that influences the charges within the electroscope, causing the metal leaves to move apart, even though the rod is not touching the electroscope. This phenomenon is a clear demonstration of the concept of electric fields acting at a distance.