June 15 is National Electricity Day!
And the day we celebrate Benjamin Franklin’s very dangerous kite experiment… No, he didn’t discover electricity!
June 15 is National Electricity Day!
What is it?
National Electricity Day takes place on June 15, the anniversary of the date in 1752 when Benjamin Franklin flew a kite in a thunderstorm, with the intent of proving that lightning was caused by a discharge of electricity.
How did he do it?
The experiment involved flying a kite with a pointed wire attached to the top near thunderclouds to collect static electricity from the air. The electricity was then conducted down the wet kite string to the ground. Franklin's son William reportedly helped him conduct the experiment.
Here are some facts about the experiment:
Franklin attached a metal key to the hemp string of the kite.
When the kite was flown, Franklin noticed loose threads of the string standing up.
Franklin then moved his finger near the key and felt a spark.
Franklin was able to prove that storm clouds are electrified and that lightning is a natural phenomenon.
The experiment also demonstrated the connection between lightning and electricity, which led Franklin to theorize that a metal rod could be used to safely conduct lightning away from buildings. This led to the invention of the lightning rod, which could soon be found protecting many homes and buildings.
Franklin's experiment earned him the Copley Medal from the Royal Society.
Kids don’t try this at home!
Let’s play safe out there (not in lightning storms) - Mike
Each time I read of Ben Franklin kite experiment I wonder why he wasn’t electrocuted or at least knocked to the ground.
Mike when I was a kid, 68 now, so a long time ago, all the older houses would have a string of lightning rods on the roof ridge, running down to a ground rod. Why did they stop putting them on houses-just not effective?