ben Franklin

kite experiment

• In 1750 he proposed an experiment
• in order to prove that lightning is 
• electricity. He flew a kite during a 
• storm w/ the string tied to a key, and 
• hoped to feel a spark, which he did.

lightning rod

• He then used his observations to create 
• the first lightning rod. He stood an iron rod
• attached to a wire leading down to the 
• ground on top of his house. This deterred
• any lightning from striking his house.

conservation of charge

• He came up with the idea that electric 
• charges can neither be created nor 
• destroyed. Also, he was the first to 
• discover positive and negatively charged
• "electrical fluids".

miscellaneous

• 1 Franklin (Fr) = 1statcoulomb

works cited

• http://www.ushistory.org/franklin/info/kite.htm
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Franklin#Electricity