Otis Singleton
Benjamin Franklin, born in 1706, was a Founding Father of the United States, a writer, scientist, inventor, statesman, diplomat, printer, publisher, and political philosopher. He is known for his experiments with electricity, particularly his famous kite experiment, which demonstrated the connection between lightning and electricity. Franklin also invented the lightning rod, which redirects electricity away from buildings to prevent them from burning down. He discovered that electricity consisted of a common element, which he named the electric fire, and was a fluid that passed from one body to another without being destroyed. Franklin's work laid the foundation for modern electrical inventions and influenced today's technology, including smartphones, radios, and microphones.
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What You'll Learn
The kite experiment
Benjamin Franklin is known for his work with electricity, although he did not invent it. One of his most famous experiments, the kite experiment, was conducted to demonstrate the connection between lightning and electricity.
Franklin's kite experiment was first proposed in 1752, with the assistance of his son, William. The experiment took place in Philadelphia, during a thunderstorm. Franklin constructed a simple kite, attaching a wire to the top to act as a lightning rod. He then attached a hemp string to the bottom of the kite, which would conduct an electrical charge quickly when wet. To the hemp string, he attached a silk string, which would remain dry and act as an insulator. Finally, he attached a metal key to the hemp string, which was connected to a Leyden jar (an early form of a capacitor that could store an electrical charge).
As the kite flew, it picked up the ambient electrical charge from the storm. Franklin noticed that the loose threads of the hemp string stood erect, indicating the presence of an electrical charge. This experiment demonstrated that lightning and electricity were the result of the same phenomenon, providing evidence for Franklin's theory that lightning was a form of electricity.
Franklin's work with electricity led to his invention of the lightning rod, which could protect buildings from lightning strikes by redirecting the electrical charge away from the structure.
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Proving lightning is electricity
In the mid-18th century, Benjamin Franklin, with the help of his son William, conducted a series of experiments to prove that lightning is electricity. This endeavour culminated in his famous kite experiment, which, contrary to popular belief, did not involve his kite being struck by lightning. Instead, Franklin's kite picked up the ambient electrical charge from the storm clouds, which he then collected in a Leyden jar—an early form of capacitor.
Franklin's kite experiment took place in Philadelphia in June 1752. The experiment involved flying a kite with a pointed conductive wire attached to its apex near thunderclouds. The kite was made with a large silk handkerchief, and a hemp string was attached to its bottom, which was then connected to a silk string. A house key was tied to the hemp string and connected to the Leyden jar.
As Franklin flew his kite, the pointed wire drew the electric fire from the thunderclouds, electrifying the kite and the twine. Franklin noticed that the loose threads of the hemp string were standing erect and repelling one another, indicating that the Leyden jar was being charged. He then moved his hand near the key and observed an electric spark, proving the electric nature of lightning.
Franklin's kite experiment built upon his earlier work with electricity and lightning. As early as 1746, Franklin had been conducting electrical experiments, and by 1749, he was describing the concept of an electrical battery. In 1750, he began to think about protecting people and buildings from lightning, leading to his idea for the lightning rod—an iron rod about 8 to 10 feet long that was sharpened to a point at the end. Franklin proposed that these lightning rods could be placed on top of buildings to draw the electrical fire from clouds and prevent lightning strikes.
While Franklin's kite experiment is his most famous contribution to the understanding of electricity and lightning, it is important to note that he did not discover electricity or perform the first experiments associated with its discovery. Ancient Greeks like Thales of Miletus had known about static electricity and conducted experiments with it. However, Franklin's experiments, particularly the kite experiment, provided significant insights into the relationship between lightning and electricity and helped advance our modern understanding of these phenomena.
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Leyden jars
Benjamin Franklin was a Founding Father of the United States, a writer, scientist, inventor, statesman, diplomat, printer, publisher, and political philosopher. He is known for his work on electricity, although he did not invent it. Franklin's electrical experiments led to his invention of the lightning rod. He also coined several electrical terms that are still used today.
A Leyden jar typically consists of a glass jar with metal foil cemented to its inner and outer surfaces and a metal terminal projecting vertically through the jar lid to make contact with the inner foil. It was the original form of the capacitor (also called a condenser). The basic requirement for a functioning Leyden jar is the presence of two conductors separated by an insulator. The glass jar serves as the insulator, while the metal foil serves as the conductors.
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Lightning rods
Benjamin Franklin is credited with the invention of the lightning rod, which he believed could protect buildings from lightning. Franklin's hypothesis was that conductors with sharp points could discharge silently and at a greater distance than those with smooth points. He suggested that attaching "upright Rods of Iron, made sharp as a Needle and gilt to prevent Rusting, and from the Foot of those Rods a Wire down the outside of the Building into the Ground" would draw the electrical fire from a cloud and prevent it from striking a building.
Franklin's hypothesis was based on his experiments with electricity, specifically his discovery that "positive" and "negative" charges reside on opposite sides of a Leyden jar, a device that could store an electrical charge. He called an assembly of these jars a "battery" and is credited with being the first to use this term in relation to electricity.
Franklin's kite experiment, conducted with his son, is also well-known. He constructed a simple kite with a wire attached to the top to act as a lightning rod and a hemp string attached to the bottom. He then attached a silk string to the hemp string, as the hemp, when wet, would conduct an electrical charge quickly, while the silk string would remain dry and not conduct the charge. Finally, he attached a metal key to the hemp string, and with his son's help, flew the kite during a thunderstorm. He felt a spark as he moved his finger near the key, demonstrating the connection between lightning and electricity.
Following his experiments, Franklin continued to work on his lightning rod invention, and in 1752, lightning rods were installed on the Academy of Philadelphia (later the University of Pennsylvania) and the Pennsylvania State House (later Independence Hall). In 1753, he received the Copley Medal from the Royal Society in recognition of his "curious experiments and observations on electricity."
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Electric terminology
Benjamin Franklin, born in 1706 in Boston, Massachusetts, was a polymath: a writer, scientist, inventor, statesman, diplomat, printer, publisher, and political philosopher. He is known for his work in electricity, although he did not invent it. Franklin's electrical experiments led to his invention of the lightning rod, which he believed could protect buildings from lightning.
Franklin also contributed to the terminology used in electrical theory. He wrote to Peter Collinson, expressing his desire for a more comprehensive set of terms to explain his theories. Some of the electrical terms coined by Franklin include:
- Electric fire: Franklin's term for electricity, which he believed was a "common element" that was "fluid" like a liquid.
- Positive and negative: Franklin introduced the idea that electricity could be charged positively or negatively.
- Alternator: A device that converts mechanical energy into electrical energy.
- Alternating Current (AC): A flow of electrons that reverses its direction at regular intervals in a conductor.
- Ammeter: An instrument for measuring the flow of electrical current in amperes.
- Ampere: A unit of measure for the flow of current in a circuit.
- Amplitude: A term used to describe the maximum value of a pulse or wave.
- Analog IC: Integrated circuits composed to produce, amplify, or respond to variable voltages.
- Capacitor: A device that stores electrical energy and is used for controlling voltage spikes.
- Conductor: Any material that has an electric current flowing through it, usually copper or aluminium wire.
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Frequently asked questions
No, Benjamin Franklin did not invent electricity. However, he did conduct experiments with electricity and made several discoveries about it.
One of Benjamin Franklin's most famous experiments was the kite experiment. During a thunderstorm in 1752, Franklin flew a kite made of a large silk handkerchief, hemp string, and silk string. He attached a metal key and a sharp wire to the kite to attract electrical charges. This experiment demonstrated the connection between lightning and electricity.
Franklin discovered that electricity consisted of a "common element" which he called "electric fire." He also found that electricity was "fluid" and passed from one body to another without being destroyed. He coined the terms "positive" and "negative" to describe electrical charges.
Yes, Benjamin Franklin invented the lightning rod, which redirects electricity away from buildings to prevent them from burning down. He also coined the term "battery" to describe a group of linked Leyden jars used to store electrical charges.
