![]() ![]() ![]() When Franklin used the Leyden jar to collect these charges, he also proved that electricity as we know it can be collected, stored, and distributed later. This was evidenced by the spark produced by the metal key and the loose hemp thread rising in the kite experiment. Some of these charges were encountered by the kite and rod. Instead, there was a buildup within clouds of electrical charges that were on the verge of being discharged to the ground in the form of lightning. No lightning actually hit Franklin's iron rod or metal key. This rod and the key in a lightning storm may sound unsafe, but the truth is much calmer than the lightning bolts of electricity retold in the stories. He even used a wire leading from an iron rod attached to his chimney to carry electricity inside his home. In fact, he turned his home on Market Street in Philadelphia into a laboratory where he designed instruments using available household items. Image by James Edward Henry Gordon, via Wikimedia Commons, is in the public domain.įranklin's experiment only increased his interest in electricity. A Leyden jar can trap high-voltage electricity so that it can be held and discharged at a later time. He was in awe of, and had a literal shock from, this promising appearance!įranklin then used a Leyden jar to collect the "electric fire" from the key. He then placed his finger close to the key and.voila! There was a spark! Later, he noticed that the loose threads of the hemp string started standing erect. The last step was attaching the metal key to the hemp string. He used silk string because it remains dry. At the bottom of the kite, he attached a hemp string and then a silk string, which was the part attached to the door of his shed. ![]() He made a simple kite and attached a wire to its top as a lightning rod.
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