Concept:A positively charged rod pulls electrons toward the cap, making the leaves more positively charged and increasing their divergence.
Explanation:The electroscope already carries a positive charge, so its leaves repel each other and stand apart.
When a positively charged glass rod is brought near the cap, the rod attracts free electrons in the electroscope.
These electrons move from the leaves and the metal stem toward the cap.
As a result, the leaves lose electrons and gain a larger net positive charge.
Since both leaves now have more positive charge, the electric force of repulsion between them becomes stronger.
A stronger repulsive force pushes the leaves farther apart.
Therefore, the leaf divergence increases.
The divergence does not decrease because the total positive charge on the leaves increases.
It also does not remain the same, because charge is redistributed within the electroscope.
There is no collapse, since the rod never touches the electroscope and no discharge occurs.
So the observed effect is that the divergence increases.
Answer:B. increase