Benjamin Franklin (1706 – 1790) – An American scientist and a pioneer in the field of electricity research. He explained the phenomenon of static electricity and classified electric charges into positive and negative. Through his experiments, he demonstrated that the electricity generated by lightning and that produced by workers in factories are fundamentally the same. He is credited with inventing the lightning rod. Additionally, he was a great political activist who participated in drafting the “Declaration of Independence of the United States,” and along with George Washington, he helped establish the “Constitution of the United States.” People often say he was the one who “took lightning from the sky and seized human rights from tyrants.”
On a sultry June afternoon in 1752, the sky was overcast with gray clouds, and everyone was hoping for a refreshing rainstorm! However, there were no signs of rain yet.
Moments later, dark clouds gathered on the horizon, accompanied by strong winds. A lightning bolt lit up the sky, and the rain poured down. The weather Franklin had been waiting for had arrived! He wanted to take advantage of this weather to fly a kite for an experiment.
For a long time, he had wanted to draw electricity from the clouds to prove that lightning and the electricity produced by workers are essentially the same. But he was puzzled about how to get something up into the sky to conduct the electricity down.
Since flying a kite in the rain with thunder and lightning was dangerous, he decided to use silk instead of paper for the kite. At the top of the kite, he attached a metal wire sharpened to a point to attract electricity. The kite string served as a conductor. The end of the string was connected to a silk cord that acted as an insulator, allowing the experimenter to hold the silk cord so that he wouldn’t get electrocuted when the electricity came down. Franklin hung a key at the junction where the kite string met the silk cord.
Franklin told his son William that they would conduct the experiment today and asked him to assist.
William, his son, skeptically asked, “Isn’t this very dangerous?” He was not particularly excited about the experiment but agreed to help his father.
So, the two quietly took the kite and ran to a nearby meadow where there was a small hut to shelter from the rain.
The wind grew stronger, making it the perfect opportunity to fly the kite.
Franklin let his son stay dry in the hut while he bravely ventured out into the storm to launch the kite into the sky. He quickly reached the hut and handed the kite string to his son.
At that moment, a brilliant flash of lightning sliced through the sky, yet the kite soared, seemingly unaffected. Another bolt of lightning flashed, followed by a deafening clap of thunder, and the rain began to pour.
Both the kite and the string were soaked.
“Quick, get inside, don’t let the rain soak the silk cord!” – Franklin instructed his son. He sat alone under the small hut, observing the kite.
Still, there was no sign of electricity.
Franklin cautioned his son, “William, be careful! The kite string is about to touch the hut’s roof; that could be dangerous.”
Although the rain had not stopped, the sky was clearing, and the thunder was fading. Bright flashes of lightning still danced across the sky.
Suddenly, William shouted:
“Look, Dad!” – He pointed at the kite – “The threads on the kite string are all standing up!”
“Really? I don’t see as well as you do anymore.”
Franklin squinted to see more clearly; could it really be true? Whenever there was a flash of lightning, the threads on the kite string would stand up. This was electricity.
He moved his finger up and down along the kite string, and the miraculous phenomenon appeared: the threads on the kite string swayed up and down in response to his finger.
Overcome with astonishment, William expressed his delight: “That’s amazing, Dad; they can dance too!”
“You will see even more fascinating things!” – Franklin replied joyfully.
He carefully reached toward the key hanging at the junction between the kite string and the silk cord. ZAP! Tiny sparks leaped from the key, striking his hand, causing him to feel a tingling sensation, and he quickly pulled his hand back.
“What happened, Dad?” – William asked, concerned.
Franklin was thrilled: “It’s nothing; our experiment was a success! Do you know? Lightning in the sky and the electricity produced by workers are the same.”
This was Franklin’s groundbreaking kite experiment that made waves around the world.
“What can be done today should not be put off until tomorrow.” – Franklin
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Stay tuned for: “Franklin – Conquering the Divine Fire“
