Lightning is the result of the build up of electrostatic charge in clouds. Positive and negative charges separate, negative usually towards the bottom of the cloud, while positive goes to the top. After a certain amount of time, the negative charge leaps, connecting with either another cloud or even the ground.
Table of Contents
What are the 5 types of lightning?
- Positive Cloud-to-Ground Lightning (+CG)
- Cloud-to-Air (CA) Lightning.
- Ground-to-Cloud (GC) Lightning.
- Intracloud (IC) Lightning.
- Cloud-to-Cloud (CC) Lightning (or intercloud lightning)
How is lightning produced PDF?
Lightning can also be produced by heavy snow storms, volcanic eruptions, and the smoke clouds of intense forest fires. Cloud-to-ground lightning forms as the clouds move and the negatively charged cloud base builds a pool of positively charged particles at the earth’s surface beneath the cloud.
What are the 5 effects of lightning?
- Cardiac Arrest.
- Brain Injury.
- Seizures.
- Spinal Cord Damage.
- Amnesia.
What force makes lightning?
Lightning happens when the negative charges (electrons) in the bottom of the cloud are attracted to the positive charges (protons) in the ground.
What is the formula for lightning?
If you count the number of seconds between the flash of lightning and the sound of thunder, and then divide by 5, you’ll get the distance in miles to the lightning: 5 seconds = 1 mile, 15 seconds = 3 miles, 0 seconds = very close.
What is lightning called?
Lightning is a naturally occurring electrostatic discharge during which two electrically charged regions, both in the atmosphere or with one on the ground, temporarily neutralize themselves, causing the instantaneous release of an average of one gigajoule of energy.
What are 10 facts about lightning?
- The speed of lightning.
- When lightning strikes a beach.
- The most lightning-struck location in the world.
- Helicopters cause lightning.
- 1,400,000,000 strikes every year.
- Lightning destroys trees.
- But it can help plants grow.
- The width of a thumb and hotter than the sun.
What color is lightning?
The distinctive blue-white color of lightning is caused by light emitted as the electrons drop back to their original energy states. Seen from above, lightning storms also produce less well-known emissions of blue or red light above the clouds, known as jets and sprites.
How lightning works step by step?
What is lightning and its types?
There are three common types of lightning: cloud to ground, cloud to cloud and cloud to air. Cloud to ground lightning is the most dangerous. The ground is mainly consisted of positively charged particles while the bottom of violent storm clouds have negative charged particles.
What is lightning chemically?
Lightning discharges are a major source of nitrogen oxide gases called NOx. The two primary gases (NO and NO2) are formed during the lightning discharge when the air is heated to 30,000 degrees inside the lightning channel.
What is the voltage of a lightning?
A typical lightning flash is about 300 million Volts and about 30,000 Amps. In comparison, household current is 120 Volts and 15 Amps.
How lightning is useful to us?
Lightning strikes dissolve unusable nitrogen in water and form a natural fertilizer which is absorbed by the roots of plants. Thus, lightning helps for nitrogen fixation. 2. Lightning also produces important gas called ozone which protects our planet from the harmful UV rays.
What causes lightning damage?
Most lightning strikes cause damage through the large current flowing in the return stroke or through the heat that is generated by this and the continuing current. The precise mechanisms whereby lightning currents cause damage are not completely understood, however.
What energy gives lightning?
The average lightning strike contains about 1 million joules, enough energy to fry the founding father in his boots. “The typical house in the U.S. has 100 amp service or about 28 horsepower,” says Kirtley.
Is lightning static or current electricity?
Lightning is essentially a giant static electricity shock. Both are electric currents connecting the positive charge to the negative charge.
What elements makes lightning?
The blue-violet tinge that lightning sometimes takes on is a consequence of it ionising molecules in the air. In particular emissions from excited nitrogen atoms and hydrogen atoms (the latter from water vapour in the air) result in these colours. Nitrogen is also involved in further lightning chemistry.
What are the 4 steps of lightning?
- The stepped leader. A typical CG lightning strike initiates inside the storm.
- Stepped leader inducing streamers.
- Connection is made with the ground.
- Connection is made with the ground.
- The return stroke, what we see when lightning flashes.
What is the 30 rule of lightning?
Description. Remember the 30/30 lightning safety rule: Go indoors if, after seeing lightning, you cannot count to 30 before hearing thunder. Stay indoors 30 minutes after hearing the last clap of thunder.
What are the 6 types of lightning?
- Cloud-To-Ground Lightning.
- Intracloud and Cloud-To-Cloud Lightning.
- Bolt From the Blue.
- Ball Lightning.
- Transient Luminous Events.
- Lightning Safety.
What are the two types of lightning?
There are two main types of lighting: intra-cloud lightning and cloud-to-ground lightning. Intra-cloud lightning is an electrical discharge between oppositely charged areas within the thunderstorm cloud. Cloud-to-ground lightning is a discharge between opposite charges in the cloud and on the ground.
Is lightning positive or negative?
Some lightning come from the upper parts near the top of the thunderstorm. This is where a positive charge lives. As lightning forms in this area and travels down, it will carry a positive charge and on the ground will be negative charges. Fortunately, positive lightning accounts for less than 5% of all strikes.
What is lightning simple words?
Lightning is a very powerful electrical discharge made during a thunderstorm. The electric current makes the air very hot. The suddenly heated air expands very quickly, which causes thunder. Sometimes lightning happens between clouds. Sometimes (in the rain) lightning goes from cloud to ground.
What makes lightning fast?
They are accelerated by a strong electric field, a consequence of the big voltage difference between the cloud and the ground. They crash into air molecules on their way down and free other electrons, making a tube of ionized air.