What is benjamin franklins kite?

Benjamin Franklin's kite experiment is a well-known scientific experiment that he conducted in 1752. The purpose of the experiment was to prove that lightning was a form of electricity. Franklin used a kite with a metal key tied to the end of its string, hoping to attract electricity from a thunderstorm by flying the kite in the air. If the experiment succeeded, sparks should have been seen flying from the key to his hand.

Franklin waited for a thunderstorm before flying the kite. He tied the key to the kite's string and connected the string to a silk ribbon. He held the ribbon, waiting for the lightning to strike. When the storm came, the kite flew high enough that Franklin could feel a charge building up in the kite. He touched the key and felt a shock.

Despite widespread myths, Franklin did not discover electricity from his kite experiment. Nonetheless, his kite experiment was an important moment in the history of exploring and defining electricity as a scientific principle.