Please read Franklin's reply to Dr. John Lining when Franklin quotes his scientific journal (in my ed. the quote begins at the bottom of p. 256). What does Franklin mean?
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Franklin explains his reasoning for expirimenting with the kite and key. Electricity was considered a fluid which Franklin had developed but lighning was not seen as being a fluid so in order to test the similarities Franklin preformed that expiriment. He quotes his scientific journal in an effort to show Dr. Lining how both Electrical Fluid and lightning are one in the same. Therefore if they are the same thing there would be a new source of electricity availible. Franklin writes at the end of the letter on how because they donot know the property of lightning is it necessary to experiment to find out what it is. This expiriment leads to the invention of the lightning rod and eludes to the great possibilities found in electricity.
The quote appears to be Franklin’s rationale in his assumption that lightning is of electricity, rather than fire, which was the previous common assumption. His basis for this assumption was that he had observed in his own experiments with electricity that electricity moved fluidly through metals, could melt metal, and could set fire to flammable objects; these are all things lightning can do as well. Having made all these connections, it would be stupid to not assume lightning and electricity were alike. The only missing connection in his proof was that he had found in his experiment that electricity had an affinity for pointed, metallic objects. He needed an experiment to show that lightning, like electricity, had an affinity for pointed, metallic objects. This led to his famous kite experiment, from which he then developed the lightning-rod, which became the first practical application of knowledge of electricity.
In Franklin's reply to Dr. John Lining, he quotes his journal, because it was easy to understand and thorough enough to answer to an educated man. Franklin meant that he used observation and experimenting to find the best way to test the identity of lightning and electricity, which was through the kite. He found correlations by observing the ways electrical fluid agreed with lightning(giving light, crack or noise in exploding, etc.) He found that electricity was attracted to points, so it was easy for him to assume that lightning would have similar properties, and it was worth the risk.
In Franklin's letter to Dr. John Lining, Franklin rationalizes his reasons for his flying the kite with the key to experiment with the concept of lightning and electricity. Franklin had already postulated the idea of electricity and conductivity and had observed lightning as being composed of electricity as opposed to fire, which was the accepted thought at the time. He needed to test conductivity and attraction of lightning to prove it was based on electricity, so he flew a metal key in a lightning storm, and when lightning struck the key, he knew he was right.
Through the explanation of testing the identity of lighting and electricity, Franklin states that since the properties of his kite experiment are similar to those of lighting it can't hurt to experiment. Franklin admits that these similarities offer no proof, but do, however, relate so closely that thorough further experimentations, advancements in electricity can be made. He laid down the foundation for other scientists, with perhaps more knowledge in the properties of lighting and electricity, to take Franklin's findings and take them further without having to start from scratch.
Franklin thought of way to attract lightning, and so I doing that he could test his hypothesis of electricity. His response shows how he thought lightning would be attracted, so he could test his theory. He also wanted to show that he took some of the ideas that Europeans were thinking about and added more to them, and found out that they worked. His experiment shocked European physicist because they had rejected a similar idea. One example was French physicist Abbe Nollet, who couldn’t believe that such work came from America.
Franklin explains his study on lightning and electricity by first listing how lightning and electricity were similar and also with the kite and key experiment. “Giving light, color of the light, crooked direction, swift motion, being conducted by metals, crack or noise in exploding, subsisting in water or ice, rending bodies it passes through, destroying animals, melting metals, firing inflammable substances, sulphureous smell.” (pg 256) When Franklin conducted this study, electricity was thought to be a fluid, whereas lightning was not. Franklin concluded that since electricity and lightning were similar in many observable ways, conducting an experiment would help show this. Thus the kite and key experiment.
Franklin was trying to show that lightning was “electric fluid”. Franklin's analysis of lightning and “electric fluid” was purely observational. His theory seems to equate well it looks like water, so “electric fluid” and lightning must both be liquids. Franklin also observed that "electric fluid" is attracted to points. He did not know if this was true of lightning. That is why he devised the kite experiment. This experiment was designed to prove that “electric fluid” and lightning were one in the same. There is some debate about whether Franklin actually did the experiment or not. However, Benjamin Franklin is credited with the invention of the lightning rod.
Franklin explains why he experimented with the kite and the key. He says how electrical fluid is similar to lightning, though since it isn't know, he decides to test it. "But since they agree in all the particulars wherein we can already compare them, is it not probable they agree likewise in this?" From this the lightning rod is discovered.
In his reply to Dr. John Lining, Benjamin Franklin relays his observations as to why he believed lightning and electricity t be congruent sources of energy. His notes on the similarities of their color of light, sulphureous smell, and rending bodies it passes through (just to name a few) led to his eventual experiment of the famous “lightning and key” discovery. Franklin’s keen observation that electric fluid was attracted by points appropriated him to the experiment, but it was the virgin territory of the scientific field in America which allowed him to make the discovery at all. As Franklin said, his discovery “might have occurred to any electrician,” but because the Europeans were burdened by their laboratory studies, they failed to make the connection. It was Franklin’s lightning experiment which led to his invention of the lightning-rod which saved many American lives.
In response to Dr. Lining, Franklin explains his thoughts about lightning from the assumption that lightning is related to electricity instead of fire. He describes the numerous similarities, such as the color and the smell of sulfur, but also notes that electricity is seen more as a fluid and lightning is not. However, since they were so similar lightning must also be a liquid. He also recognized that since electricity is attracted to two points than lightning must be as well. Franklin came up with these assumptions out of common sense and common knowledge rather than in depth research which received much criticism from scientists from Europe. Especially Abbe Nollet, a physicist from France who was surprised to see such an experiment come from America.
Franklin discusses his reasoning for his "kite and key" experiment. He pointed out how lightning was similar to "electrical fluid" in 12 different ways, and supposed that they could have another similarity, and why not test that theory? Instead of being overly scientific and calculative, Franklin just wondered whether something would happen or not and decided to do the experiment even though he didn't know the "proper" way to do it and didn't have the "correct" knowledge about lightning that his European contemporaries did, or thought they did.
Franklin uses the theory of self-evidence a lot in his science, which is a good thing, because otherwise he would have never drawn inferences like he did. He simply saw a great deal of similarities between lightning and electricity and saw it to be self-evident that they were thus alike. Because of all the features listed sounded so similar to lightning at the time, it was simply common sense that an experiment could only help. That’s exactly what Franklin points out here.
1. In Franklin’s response to Dr. John Lining’s question of how the idea of the kite experiment came to him seems to be giving the point of common sense as the answer. By quoting his scientific journal Franklin shows twelve observations that compare electrical fluid and lighting, and is able to tell Lining is this way that it was only normal to come up with the experiment that he had. He was testing his theory by going right to the source of electricity in lighting instead of spending time in research and fancy labs.
Chapter 39 Franklin is showing his simple thought process. He is showing that observations and simple experiments can find monumental results. He is proving that by use of the kite he can greater understand electricity and the element of the fluidity of electricity in agreement to lightning. Perhaps he was sowing that getting this proof was worth the risk of attracting lightning with a kite. Taylor Oster 2009
Franklin, in this quote to Dr. John Lining, is explaining through logic and process of elimination the reasons he believes lightning is composed of electricity, not fire, which would be important as it would be a new source of electricity. The rationale he provides explains the reasons behind the famous kite experiment that led to the invention of the lightning rod. Franklin states that both electricity and lightning displays the following characteristics: 1. Giving light, 2. Color of the light, 3. Crooked direction, 4. Swift motion, 5. Being conducted by metals and so on and so forth. The only trait of electricity not yet seen in lightning was its attraction to sharp points. Thus, Benjamin Franklin reasons that because they were identical in all those other aspects, it is probable that lightning would also be similar in this aspect, and the experiment should be "made" to determine whether or not his theory of the relation between lightning and electricity was correct.
Franklins letter points out the affinity of lighting and electricity in their reactions to different conditions, such as water, metal, the heat given off, et cetera. It seemed his general hypothesis, and quite a logical one, that should A be defined as lighting, B be defined as Electricity, D as stimuli, and C as the reactions of those two stimuli to certain events, that as A+D=C and as B+D=C, therefore A=C.
All that I gather from this is more evidence for the American sense of Self-Evidence and objectivity; that if it walks like a duck and if it quacks like a duck and if it is shaped like a duck then odds are very good that it is, in fact, a duck.
Franklin is discussing his notes, and says that electricity and lightning exhibited many of the same traits. He then explains that he wished to design an experiment that could tell if lightning shared the same characteristic of electricity of being “attracted by points.” Franklin’s empirical experimentation to see if electricity and lightning are the same concept follows in the same self-evident nature of American thought, that if something appears to act like electricity, it must be electricity.
Franklin is stating what he knew about lightning and why he conducted his experiment they way he did. It all goes back to seventh grade and the scientific method.
Please read Franklin's reply to Dr. John Lining when Franklin quotes his scientific journal (in my ed. the quote begins at the bottom of p. 256). What does Franklin mean? Franklin, who at the time believed that electricity was a fluid but that lightning was not, noticed that lightning and electricity exhibited similar if not identical properties in multiple experiments (i.e. both are conducted by metal, etc.). He therefore concluded that electricity was lightning, and vice versa.
Franlin was talking about at first how he though lightning was different from electricity, but in the end he decided that they were the same. (i am not sure if i answered this question right sorry)
Franklin wanted to test to see if lightning was made of electricity. He had experimented with the properties of electical fluid and lightning and had come to the conclusion that they shared many properties. What he did not know, was whether or not lightning was attracted by pointed objects, as was electrical fluid. He assumed it was, because the two shared so many other properties, so he proceded to test his theory by performing the experiment with the kite. Mira Schlosberg
25 comments:
Franklin explains his reasoning for expirimenting with the kite and key. Electricity was considered a fluid which Franklin had developed but lighning was not seen as being a fluid so in order to test the similarities Franklin preformed that expiriment. He quotes his scientific journal in an effort to show Dr. Lining how both Electrical Fluid and lightning are one in the same. Therefore if they are the same thing there would be a new source of electricity availible. Franklin writes at the end of the letter on how because they donot know the property of lightning is it necessary to experiment to find out what it is. This expiriment leads to the invention of the lightning rod and eludes to the great possibilities found in electricity.
The quote appears to be Franklin’s rationale in his assumption that lightning is of electricity, rather than fire, which was the previous common assumption. His basis for this assumption was that he had observed in his own experiments with electricity that electricity moved fluidly through metals, could melt metal, and could set fire to flammable objects; these are all things lightning can do as well. Having made all these connections, it would be stupid to not assume lightning and electricity were alike. The only missing connection in his proof was that he had found in his experiment that electricity had an affinity for pointed, metallic objects. He needed an experiment to show that lightning, like electricity, had an affinity for pointed, metallic objects. This led to his famous kite experiment, from which he then developed the lightning-rod, which became the first practical application of knowledge of electricity.
In Franklin's reply to Dr. John Lining, he quotes his journal, because it was easy to understand and thorough enough to answer to an educated man. Franklin meant that he used observation and experimenting to find the best way to test the identity of lightning and electricity, which was through the kite. He found correlations by observing the ways electrical fluid agreed with lightning(giving light, crack or noise in exploding, etc.) He found that electricity was attracted to points, so it was easy for him to assume that lightning would have similar properties, and it was worth the risk.
In Franklin's letter to Dr. John Lining, Franklin rationalizes his reasons for his flying the kite with the key to experiment with the concept of lightning and electricity. Franklin had already postulated the idea of electricity and conductivity and had observed lightning as being composed of electricity as opposed to fire, which was the accepted thought at the time. He needed to test conductivity and attraction of lightning to prove it was based on electricity, so he flew a metal key in a lightning storm, and when lightning struck the key, he knew he was right.
Through the explanation of testing the identity of lighting and electricity, Franklin states that since the properties of his kite experiment are similar to those of lighting it can't hurt to experiment. Franklin admits that these similarities offer no proof, but do, however, relate so closely that thorough further experimentations, advancements in electricity can be made. He laid down the foundation for other scientists, with perhaps more knowledge in the properties of lighting and electricity, to take Franklin's findings and take them further without having to start from scratch.
Franklin thought of way to attract lightning, and so I doing that he could test his hypothesis of electricity. His response shows how he thought lightning would be attracted, so he could test his theory. He also wanted to show that he took some of the ideas that Europeans were thinking about and added more to them, and found out that they worked. His experiment shocked European physicist because they had rejected a similar idea. One example was French physicist Abbe Nollet, who couldn’t believe that such work came from America.
Franklin explains his study on lightning and electricity by first listing how lightning and electricity were similar and also with the kite and key experiment. “Giving light, color of the light, crooked direction, swift motion, being conducted by metals, crack or noise in exploding, subsisting in water or ice, rending bodies it passes through, destroying animals, melting metals, firing inflammable substances, sulphureous smell.” (pg 256) When Franklin conducted this study, electricity was thought to be a fluid, whereas lightning was not. Franklin concluded that since electricity and lightning were similar in many observable ways, conducting an experiment would help show this. Thus the kite and key experiment.
Franklin was trying to show that lightning was “electric fluid”. Franklin's analysis of lightning and “electric fluid” was purely observational. His theory seems to equate well it looks like water, so “electric fluid” and lightning must both be liquids. Franklin also observed that "electric fluid" is attracted to points. He did not know if this was true of lightning. That is why he devised the kite experiment. This experiment was designed to prove that “electric fluid” and lightning were one in the same. There is some debate about whether Franklin actually did the experiment or not. However, Benjamin Franklin is credited with the invention of the lightning rod.
Benjamin Franklin conveys in this scientific journal entry his reasons for supposing that lightning is attracted by points. By making simple observations that any man could make, he concluded that because of the fact that electricity and lightning were so alike in so many ways, it was very probable that this known property of electricity, that it is attracted to points, could also be shared by lightning. He based this hypothesis more on common sense than on complicated scientific theory, which led to criticisms against him made by leading European scientists such as the French Abbé Nollet. This is an example of how science was approached very differently by most Americans than it was by Europeans: common sense versus scientific theory.
Franklin explains why he experimented with the kite and the key. He says how electrical fluid is similar to lightning, though since it isn't know, he decides to test it. "But since they agree in all the particulars wherein we can already compare them, is it not probable they agree likewise in this?" From this the lightning rod is discovered.
~Chris Sogge~
In his reply to Dr. John Lining, Benjamin Franklin relays his observations as to why he believed lightning and electricity t be congruent sources of energy. His notes on the similarities of their color of light, sulphureous smell, and rending bodies it passes through (just to name a few) led to his eventual experiment of the famous “lightning and key” discovery. Franklin’s keen observation that electric fluid was attracted by points appropriated him to the experiment, but it was the virgin territory of the scientific field in America which allowed him to make the discovery at all. As Franklin said, his discovery “might have occurred to any electrician,” but because the Europeans were burdened by their laboratory studies, they failed to make the connection. It was Franklin’s lightning experiment which led to his invention of the lightning-rod which saved many American lives.
In response to Dr. Lining, Franklin explains his thoughts about lightning from the assumption that lightning is related to electricity instead of fire. He describes the numerous similarities, such as the color and the smell of sulfur, but also notes that electricity is seen more as a fluid and lightning is not. However, since they were so similar lightning must also be a liquid. He also recognized that since electricity is attracted to two points than lightning must be as well. Franklin came up with these assumptions out of common sense and common knowledge rather than in depth research which received much criticism from scientists from Europe. Especially Abbe Nollet, a physicist from France who was surprised to see such an experiment come from America.
Franklin discusses his reasoning for his "kite and key" experiment. He pointed out how lightning was similar to "electrical fluid" in 12 different ways, and supposed that they could have another similarity, and why not test that theory? Instead of being overly scientific and calculative, Franklin just wondered whether something would happen or not and decided to do the experiment even though he didn't know the "proper" way to do it and didn't have the "correct" knowledge about lightning that his European contemporaries did, or thought they did.
Franklin uses the theory of self-evidence a lot in his science, which is a good thing, because otherwise he would have never drawn inferences like he did. He simply saw a great deal of similarities between lightning and electricity and saw it to be self-evident that they were thus alike. Because of all the features listed sounded so similar to lightning at the time, it was simply common sense that an experiment could only help. That’s exactly what Franklin points out here.
1. In Franklin’s response to Dr. John Lining’s question of how the idea of the kite experiment came to him seems to be giving the point of common sense as the answer. By quoting his scientific journal Franklin shows twelve observations that compare electrical fluid and lighting, and is able to tell Lining is this way that it was only normal to come up with the experiment that he had. He was testing his theory by going right to the source of electricity in lighting instead of spending time in research and fancy labs.
Chapter 39
Franklin is showing his simple thought process. He is showing that observations and simple experiments can find monumental results. He is proving that by use of the kite he can greater understand electricity and the element of the fluidity of electricity in agreement to lightning. Perhaps he was sowing that getting this proof was worth the risk of attracting lightning with a kite.
Taylor Oster 2009
Franklin, in this quote to Dr. John Lining, is explaining through logic and process of elimination the reasons he believes lightning is composed of electricity, not fire, which would be important as it would be a new source of electricity. The rationale he provides explains the reasons behind the famous kite experiment that led to the invention of the lightning rod. Franklin states that both electricity and lightning displays the following characteristics: 1. Giving light, 2. Color of the light, 3. Crooked direction, 4. Swift motion, 5. Being conducted by metals and so on and so forth. The only trait of electricity not yet seen in lightning was its attraction to sharp points. Thus, Benjamin Franklin reasons that because they were identical in all those other aspects, it is probable that lightning would also be similar in this aspect, and the experiment should be "made" to determine whether or not his theory of the relation between lightning and electricity was correct.
Franklins letter points out the affinity of lighting and electricity in their reactions to different conditions, such as water, metal, the heat given off, et cetera. It seemed his general hypothesis, and quite a logical one, that should A be defined as lighting, B be defined as Electricity, D as stimuli, and C as the reactions of those two stimuli to certain events, that as A+D=C and as B+D=C, therefore A=C.
Meaning, as I realized I forgot to expatiate should it not be self-explanatory, that Lighting was Electricity.
All that I gather from this is more evidence for the American sense of Self-Evidence and objectivity; that if it walks like a duck and if it quacks like a duck and if it is shaped like a duck then odds are very good that it is, in fact, a duck.
Franklin is discussing his notes, and says that electricity and lightning exhibited many of the same traits. He then explains that he wished to design an experiment that could tell if lightning shared the same characteristic of electricity of being “attracted by points.” Franklin’s empirical experimentation to see if electricity and lightning are the same concept follows in the same self-evident nature of American thought, that if something appears to act like electricity, it must be electricity.
Franklin is stating what he knew about lightning and why he conducted his experiment they way he did. It all goes back to seventh grade and the scientific method.
Please read Franklin's reply to Dr. John Lining when Franklin quotes his scientific journal (in my ed. the quote begins at the bottom of p. 256). What does Franklin mean?
Franklin, who at the time believed that electricity was a fluid but that lightning was not, noticed that lightning and electricity exhibited similar if not identical properties in multiple experiments (i.e. both are conducted by metal, etc.). He therefore concluded that electricity was lightning, and vice versa.
Franlin was talking about at first how he though lightning was different from electricity, but in the end he decided that they were the same. (i am not sure if i answered this question right sorry)
Franklin wanted to test to see if lightning was made of electricity. He had experimented with the properties of electical fluid and lightning and had come to the conclusion that they shared many properties. What he did not know, was whether or not lightning was attracted by pointed objects, as was electrical fluid. He assumed it was, because the two shared so many other properties, so he proceded to test his theory by performing the experiment with the kite.
Mira Schlosberg
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