During an experiment, Benjamin Franklin flew a silk kite with a metal key attached near the bottom of the…
During an experiment, Benjamin Franklin flew a silk kite with a metal key attached near the bottom of the string during a thunderstorm. What was the purpose of the key?
To act as a heavy weight so the kite flies higher
To conduct electric charge from the thundercloud down the damp string
To reflect light and locate the kite in the dark cloud
To measure the speed of the wind during the storm
Solution
The metal key acted as a electrical conductor to demonstrate that lightning is a form of static electricity.