Ben Franklin and the Great Kite Experiment

It is hard to think about Ben Franklin without picturing him standing in a storm, flying that kite high in the air. While the actual event may not have unfolded as dramatically as we have all been taught, Ben Franklin truly is the father of electricity thanks to the great kite experiment.

Ben Franklin first thought to try conductive rods but realized the danger he was putting himself in. The facts of the great kite experiment were not even known at first when he did it in 1752 because he didn’t publish the details under his own name. However, when the experiment came to light, it was believed he climbed up to the spires of the Christ Church in Philadelphia. The string was partially under cover so his end would stay dry. He attached a jar to the string that ended up collecting the electrical charge. Because he stayed dry, he only got a small shock from the experiment.

What many people don’t know about the great kite experiment is the fact that even though Ben Franklin was a great scientist and inventor, he wasn’t sure what was going to happen. He thought the test just might fail and only took his son with him to watch him do it. How many times have your tried something and not told anyone because you were sure it would fail? Luckily for us all, he didn’t let his fear or reservations stop him from trying. Could you imagine what may be different today if he let his fear or uncertainty stop him from the things he did?

Even though it was gutsy of Ben to experiment with electricity, the electrical repair Rochester NY professionals at Lon Lockwood Electrical encourage you to call us when you have an electrical issue.