What is the name of the scientific instrument used to detect electric charge?

The scientific instrument used to detect electric charge is called an electroscope. This device operates on the principle that like charges repel one another and unlike charges attract. When a charged object is brought near the electroscope, it causes the leaves of the electroscope to either separate or move closer together depending on the nature of the charge. This movement indicates the presence of electric charge, allowing the user to identify whether the object is positively or negatively charged.

While a galvanometer measures small electric currents, a voltmeter measures the potential difference (voltage) between two points, and an ammeter measures the current flowing in a circuit, none of these instruments are specifically designed to detect electric charge in the way an electroscope is. The electroscope is unique in its ability to visually demonstrate the presence and type of electric charge based solely on the movement of its components in response to nearby charged objects.