Benjamin Franklin
The history of Physics is incomplete without the mention of Benjamin Franklin . Franklin was an author, scientist, statesman, inventor and also a diplomat. His pursuits in science ley to the invention of electricity. The great man was born in Boston where he started his early life and formal education before moving to Philadelphia where he established his business empire. He was part of the team that led to the attainment of independence in 1776 where he served in the continental congress.
Benjamin Franklin
In 1783 he was an active negotiator in the Treaty of Paris which led to the end of the Revolutionary War.
Benjamin Franklin
Early life :
Benjamin Franklin was born on 17th Jan 1706 in Boston. His father Josiah Franklin had 2 wives and Benjamin was the 15th child in the family of 17. Franklin was enrolled at the Boston Latin School and despite him being very bright in school he stopped at the age of 10 to help his father in his Candle and Soap shop.
At the age of 12, Franklin moved to work with his brother James who had a printing shop. He learned how to write and publish. Young Franklin had a particular interest in politics. It was during this period that he began his writing and publishing journey. He, however, had one problem, his brother James was mistreating him and on many occasions refused to publish his work.
Tired of his brother’s behavior Franklin Fled Boston in 1773 moving to New York before settling in Philadelphia where he established himself. In Philadelphia, he was employed in a printing shop before traveling to London in 1724 where he was also employed by a publishing company.
After spending 2 years in England Franklinreturned to Philadelphia in 1726 where he opened his printing shop. His printing business became very successful to an extend that he contracted to print currency and government books. By 1729 Franklin was the publisher of a colonial paper called the Pennsylvania Gazette which he contributed most of the content.
In 1730 Franklin married Deborah after she had divorced her husband. The two had one daughter named Sarah. Deborah died in 1774 from a stroke. During this period Franklin had a son named William who was born out of wedlock. William later became the Royal Governor for New Jersey in 1763.
Franklin rose into fame in 1733 after publishing a book called ‘Poor Richard’s Almanack’ which was published annually from 1733 to 1758.
Benjamin Franklin
Electricity and other inventions :
In 1748 Benjamin Franklin was a well-established businessman. During this period he handed over his printing business to a partner so that he could concentrate on science. In 1752 he made a world-changing discovery after conducting the Kite-and-key experiment which was meant to demonstrate that lightning was electricity. After the discovery, Franklin went ahead to invent a lightning rod.
His observations shaped the way the world understood electricity and even shaped the language used around electricity. Franklin was the first scientist to discover that electric charges cannot be created. He noted that an electric charge can only be collected. This is what was later used in the ‘Law of Conservation of Electric Charge.’
Read 👉: The biography of Sir Isaac Newton
Franklin’s inventions were compiled and published in a book called Experiments and Observations on Electricity in the UK in 1751. During this time he had come up with electricity-related terms such as electrify, conductor and charge. He also invented a battery that would be used in the storage of electrical charges. During the invention, he also proved to people that electricity was one fluid with both positive and negative currents.
In the 1750s Franklin was very busy with his scientific inventions and carrying out proofs that lightning was electricity.
According to Franklin: “As electrified clouds pass over a country, high hills and high trees, lofty towers, spires, masts of ships, chimneys, etc, as so many prominences and points, draw the electrical fire, and the whole cloud discharges there…
“If these things are so, may not the power of points be ….read …http://www.themegaguide.com/2020/04/benjamin-franklin.html
