Benjamin Franklin’s Bright Idea

Written by: Keya Gambhir

Back in the 1700s, people didn’t really know what lightning was. Some thought it was just a giant spark of fire, while others had no idea it could be linked to electricity. But Benjamin Franklin wasn’t like most people, he was always curious and loved figuring out how things worked. While he did not discover electricity, he had a bold idea: What if lightning was actually just electricity?

One stormy day in 1752, Franklin and his son, William, set out to test his idea. They built a special kite with a metal key attached to its string. Franklin believed that if lightning was indeed electricity, the key would collect the electric charge from the storm. He was about to fly a kite in the middle of a thunderstorm, which, to most people, seemed pretty crazy, but Franklin was determined to prove his theory.

As the storm raged on, Benjamin sent the kite flying high into the sky. The wind howled, and lightning flashed all around. Franklin held the string tightly, watching carefully for any signs of electricity. At first, nothing happened. But then, with a flash of lightning, the string started to stand up on its own—like it was reaching for the sky. Franklin moved his hand close to the key, and suddenly—ZAP! A small spark jumped from the key to his finger. It worked and Franklin had just proven that lightning was a form of electricity!

This experiment proved a scientific theory, but also changed people's perceptions of electricity and led to some important inventions. Franklin’s work directly inspired the lightning rod, a metal rod placed on buildings to protect them from lightning by directing the electric charge safely into the ground.

Franklin’s experiment also set the stage for future discoveries in electricity. His work helped people understand electricity better, which led to all sorts of inventions that we use today, like light bulbs and electric power.

Though Franklin’s experiment was groundbreaking, it wasn’t without risks, but he didn’t just stand there and hope for lightning to strike the kite. Franklin was smart and took precautions to make sure he didn’t get zapped, and his curiosity and willingness to take chances completely changed the way we understand electricity. So, the next time you see a storm, think of Benjamin Franklin and his kite, but maybe leave the flying to the experts! Let us know if you learned something new using the contact forms!