Reference

The versorium, an early instrument used to detect the presence of static electric charge, cannot distinguish between positive and negative charges because it is designed to only detect the presence of charge, not its polarity. As explained in the search results from Brainly, "A versorium can only detect the presence of a static electric charge, not its polarity." This is further supported by the information on GeeksforGeeks, which states that the leaves of an electroscope, a similar device, "gain a brief positive charge" and repel each other, indicating the presence of charge but not specifying its sign. The primary function of the versorium is to indicate whether an object is charged or not, without providing information on whether the charge is positive or negative. Images related to the versorium and charge detection can be found in the provided links, illustrating the basic structure and function of such devices.