Benjamin Franklin conducted the famous kite experiment in Philadelphia, USA. The experiment was done to understand the ‘mystery’ behind lightning and electricity. Let us nee how it took place.
The inspiration for the kite experiment came from Franklin’s conviction that lightning mid electricity had close similarities. To prove this, he went out with his son on a dark afternoon on June 10th, 1752. They attached a silk string to the kite, and tied an iron key to its end. Then, they tied a thin metal wire from the key, and inserted it into something called a Leyden jar, a container for storing electrical charge.
Franklin’s idea was to fly the kite into the storm-clouds and conduct electricity down the string. Later, when lightning struck the kite, Franklin moved his hand towards the key. Guess what happened? A spark formed, and Franklin felt a shock. But luckily for Franklin, he was standing on an insulator, keeping dry under a roof, to avoid the danger of electric shock.
However, with this dangerous experiment, it was proved that lightning was electrical in nature.
