Benjamin Franklin, "Experiments with Electricity"


Franklin holding a book "Electric Expts" with scientific instruments, in the background lightning strikes a village. From a painting by Benjamin Wilson. Franklin sat for Wilson, who also experimented with electricity, shortly after his arrival in London. Franklin spent much time in studying electricity and sent many letters to Collinson of his findings (1747-50). Collinson published these letters giving the reason that this information would be of importance to the public. The first collection of letters was published in 1751 in England. The book was expanded with additional material and reprinted in 1753 under the title of Supplemental Experiments and Observations on Electricity, Part II. It was published once again in 1754 with pages that numbered up to 154 and the title was New Experiments and Observations on electricity, Part III. All three parts were published consecutively paged as a third edition in 1760, 1762, and 1764. There was an expanded addition, a fourth edition in 1769 that Franklin personally supervised while he was in London. Franklin added a number of other scientific letters with material not associated with electricity and a fifth edition followed in 1774 of several hundred pages.


Size: 3391px × 4200px
Photo credit: © Photo Researchers / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: -, ben, benjamin, electrical, electricity, experiments, famous, figure, franklin, historic, historical, history, important, inventor, lightning, male, man, men, notable, people, person, personalities, personality, physics, politician, polymath, science, scientist, statesman, storm