Experiments and Observations on Electricity
Experiments and observations on electricity was a book written by Benjamin Franklin, from letters sent to Peter Collinson. It was printed in four editions in various years. The book made Franklin famous worldwide.
Background
Franklin was first attracted to the study of electricity when he saw showman Archibald Spencer do magic demonstrations in Boston in 1743 and in Philadelphia in 1744.[1] He purchased Spencer's equipment for his electricity experiments.[2] Franklin then began turning over his printing business affairs in 1746 to his business partner David Hall. He was forty years old and went into semi-retirement so he could do research on electricity.[3]
Peter Collinson in 1746 donated to the Library Company of Philadelphia (founded by Franklin) a Leyden jar battery and an account of the new German experiments in electricity. Collinson was a wealthy Quaker cloth merchant, a Fellow of the Royal Society and one of the founders of the Society of Antiquaries of London. Franklin made use of the unique battery and other associated equipment that was additionally provided by Thomas Penn, son of William Penn. He worked with a team on this electrical research who were Ebenezer Kinnersley, Thomas Hopkinson, and Philip Syng. This was the first scientific research laboratory in America. Franklin did his experimentation with static electricity in the middle of 1747 and referred to it as "these new wonders."[4] He considered his findings as non-speculative and something anyone could repeat or prove if they wished.[5]
Book editions
Franklin spent much time in studying this new electrical field and sent many letters to Collinson of his findings. These letters of Franklin's discoveries were sent to Collinson from 1747 through 1750. Collinson then decided to publish these letters about electricity from Franklin giving the reason that this information would be of importance to the public. The first collection of letters was published in 1751. It was a small book of eighty-six pages that were numbered and which Franklin had updated.[6] There was included an unsigned preface written by Dr. John Fothergill.[7] The book sold for half a crown.[8]
The book was expanded with additional material and reprinted in 1753 under the title of Supplemental Experiments and Observations on Electricity, Part II. made at Philadelphia in America, by Benjamin Franklin, Esq., and communicated in several letters to P. Collinson, Esq. of London, F.R.S. London: E. Cave, 1753. 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.[4][6]
There were several translations into various languages of Experiments and observations on electricity.[9] Editions appeared not only in English, but also in French (1752), German (1758), Italian (1774), and Latin.[10] These publications in different languages made Franklin famous worldwide.[4][11] This work is his only scientific book.[12] Franklin's book on electricity is recognized as American's most important scientific book of the eighteenth century.[13][14]
Rewards
Franklin was given the Copley Medal, equivalent of the Nobel Prize, in 1753 for his work in electricity as reported in this book.[15]
Gallery
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Experiments book cover 1751 edition
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New Experiments cover 1754 edition
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Experiments book cover 1769 edition
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Experiments book cover 1774 edition
See also
References
- ↑ Benge 2005, p. 106.
- ↑ Benge 2005, p. 107.
- ↑ Campbell 1999, p. 53.
- 1 2 3 Campbell 1999, p. 54.
- ↑ Campbell 1999, p. 55.
- 1 2 "From Benjamin Franklin to Peter Collinson, 28 March 1747". Founders Online. National Historical Publications and Records Commission. Retrieved July 12, 2015.
- ↑ Cohen 1956, pp. 432, 478.
- ↑ Smyth 1905, p. 15.
- ↑ Delbourgo 2006, p. 294.
- ↑ Grimnes 2014, p. 496.
- ↑ Wood 2005, p. 99.
- ↑ Rosenberg 2009, p. 212.
- ↑ Kurutz 1980, p. 212.
- ↑ Smith 2006, p. 181.
- ↑ "Awarded Copley metal". World of Influence. Twin Cities Public Television. 2002. Retrieved July 14, 2015.
Sources
- Benge, Janet (2005). Benjamin Franklin: Live Wire. YWAM Publishing. ISBN 1932096140.
- Campbell, James (1999). Recovering Benjamin Franklin: An Exploration of a Life of Science and Service. Open Court Publishing. ISBN 0812693876.
- Cohen, I. Bernard (1956). Franklin and Newton: An Inquiry Into Speculative Newtonian Experimental Science and Franklin's Work in Electricity as an Example Thereof. Harvard University Press.
- Delbourgo, James (2006). A Most Amazing Scene of Wonders: Electricity and Enlightenment in Early America. Harvard University Press. ISBN 0674022998.
- Grimnes, Sverre (2014). Bioimpedance and Bioelectricity Basics. Academic Press. ISBN 0124115330.
- Kurutz, Gary F. (1980). Fifty Treasures of the California State Library. California State Library.
- Rosenberg, Gary D. (2009). The Revolution in Geology from the Renaissance to the Enlightenment. Geological Society of America. ISBN 0813712033.
- Smith, Dennis (2006). San Francisco Is Burning: The Untold Story of the 1906 Earthquake and Fires. Plume.
- Smyth, Albert Henry (1905). The Writings of Benjamin Franklin, Volume 1. Macmillan.
- Wood, Gordon S. (2005). The Americanization of Benjamin Franklin. Penguin. ISBN 1101200901.
External links
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