Why only gold in leaf electroscope?

[manjuvenamma]

Can some one tell me the speciality of gold for being used in gold leaf electrocscope in spite of being expensive when there are so many cheper metals that fit the bill as it appears to me?

 

[jtbell]

One can make very thin (and therefore very light) sheets of gold ("gold leaf"). The electrostatic forces between small amounts of charge are very small, so it's an advantage to make electroscope leaves as light as possible.

 

[manjuvenamma]

Thanks, I am convinced.