A gold leaf electroscope is positively charged. What happens to the leaves of the electroscope when

Question

A gold leaf electroscope is positively charged. What happens to the leaves of the electroscope when the metal cap is earthed?

Answer 1

A gold leaf electroscope is positively charged. What happens to the leaves of the electroscope when the metal cap is earthed?

The leaves will diverge even further.
The leaves will remain in the same position.
The leaves will collapse together. ✓
The leaves will move closer together, but not collapse completely.

Explanation

A positively charged electroscope has a shortage of electrons. When the cap is earthed, electrons flow from the ground into the electroscope and cancel the positive charge.

With no charge left, the leaves no longer repel, so they collapse together.

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