During an investigation of methods of charge transfer, students are asked to make an electroscope using a flask. They insert a metal rod through a stopper and bend a hook on the end that will be inside the flask. They have a bent piece of metal on the hook to create foil leaves. Once the stopper has been pushed into place, they attach a metal ball to the end of the metal rod sticking out of the flask.
a
The students are asked to use an acrylic rod to charge the electroscope by conduction. They begin to develop the following procedure:
Step
Procedure
1
Touch the rod to the metal ball.
2
Observe any movement of the foil leaves inside the flask.
3
Charge the rod.
4
Ground the electroscope by touching a conductive material to the metal ball.
The students agree that these steps would allow them to observe charging by conduction but they disagree on the order in which they should be completed. What is the correct order?
