id were with three other gentlemen, Philip Syng, Thomas Hopkinson and Ebenezer Kinnersley, in Philadelphia. Franklin discovered here that a point charge would release energy from 6 to 8 inches away and a blunt charge would release at only an inch away. During these experiments, they observed that there was an electrical fire and now they would have to go back and explain all other observations of electricity using these concepts. They believed all matter had some electric fire but remained neutral until it gained or lost some of its electric fire. (DOSB,131)Franklin also studied the Leyden Jar. This was one of his most successful analyses. The Leydon Jar was introduced to Collinson in a letter and was made with metal and water or a shot of metal inside. The first observation that Franklin made was that the water was positively charged. He discovered that the bottle could not be neutralized unless an outside object touched it. Franklin demonstrated that the two conductors had opposite charges of the same magnitude. He later discovered that the glass jar was the object giving the charge and not what was put inside. (DOSB,132)Again we see the example of the influence that Europe had on Franklin when he sent Collinson his Opinions and Conjectures concerning the Properties and Effects of the electrical Matter, arising from Experiments and Observations, made at Philadelphia, 1749 to see what Collinson thought of this and from this he could see how another very knowledgeable and respected man thought of his experiment. After having been sent all of these experiments, Collinson assembled a 90-page book that was issued by E. Cave of London in 1751.Franklins influence was apparent all over the world because on both sides of the channel electricians were using the ideas in which were published by Franklins work. Franklin was one of the first people to discuss thunder, lightning and the formation of clouds. Franklin came to the conclusi...
