An electroscope is a device used to detect the presence of charge and it's relative amount. The electroscope is usually constructed with a metal plate or sphere at the top of a metal post with thin foil leaves hanging from the bottom of the post. This setup is typically supported in a flask or some other transparent enclosure. If a charged object is brought near the top of the electroscope, the leaves at the bottom spread apart. The greater the charge, the farther apart they move. The animations below show what happens if charged objects are brought near the electroscope. Try to focus on only one animation at a time, cover one with your hand if you have to.