Lightning Notes

Lightning
What Causes Lightning?

Lightning is caused by the movement of water droplets and ice crystals inside a
cumulonimbus cloud (thunderhead) which creates an electrical charge, with the
positive charge (protons) forming at the top and the negative charge (electrons)
forming at the bottom of the cloud.
A positive charge builds up on the ground beneath the cloud, attracted to
the negative charge in the bottom of the cloud. The ground’s positive charge
concentrates around anything that sticks up - trees, mountains, tall buildings,
umbrellas and even people! The positive charge streaming up from the ground
connects with the negative charge reaching down from the clouds and a spark of
lightning strikes.
Amazing Facts about Lightning

1. A lightning bolt is about 29,000 degrees Celsius — roughly six times hotter than
the surface of the Sun!
2. Lightning flashes more than 3 million times a day worldwide — that’s about 40
times a second. Not all those flashes hit the ground — some happen between or
inside clouds.
3. An average lightning bolt can release enough energy to operate a 100-watt light
bulb for more than three months straight.
4. All that energy travels along a path about as wide as a thumb!
5. Lightning kills about 2000 people a year, so stay inside during lightning storms!
The determining factor on whether a particular flash could be deadly depends on
whether a person or animal is in the path of the lightning discharge.
6. You can use thunder to tell how far away a storm is. Next time you see a storm,
count the number of seconds between when you see the lightning and hear the
thunder. Take the number of seconds and divide by 5 and that will tell you how far
away the storm is in miles. For example: If you counted 10 seconds between the
lightning and the thunder, the lightning is 2 miles away!
5
Types of Lightning Description
Cloud-to-ground This lightning is the best known and third most

lightning common type of lightning. Most cloud-to-ground
lightning strikes come from the negatively charged
bottom of the cloud traveling to the positively charged
ground below. Cloud-to-ground lightning bolts strike tall
objects, like trees and buildings. These lightning strikes
can cause fire and property damage. If you’re the
tallest object, then lighting can strike you.
Cloud-to-air lightning Cloud-to-air lightning is referred to as a discharge or

portion of a discharge jumping from a cloud into clear
air. The most visually dramatic examples of cloud-to-air
lightning occur when a long, bright lightning channel
jumps out of the side of a cumulonimbus cloud and
terminates in the clear air surrounding the storm.
Inter-cloud and When lightning happens between two separate clouds

intra-cloud lightning it is known as inter-cloud lightning, and when it
happens within a single cloud it is known as intra-cloud
lightning. Intra-cloud lightning is the most common type
of lightning. This occurs when there are both positive
and negative charges within the same cloud. Usually
the process takes place within the cloud and looks like a
bright flash of light which flickers.
Forked Lightning Forked lighting appears as jagged lines of light. They

can have several branches. Forked lightning can be
seen shooting from the clouds to the ground, from one
cloud to another cloud, or from a cloud out into the air.
This lightning can strike up to 10 miles away from a
thunderstorm.
Ball Lightning Ball lightning is a rare form of lightning. It usually

appears as a reddish, luminous ball, but can come in
any colour. Ball lightning is usually spherical in shape
and about 30cm in diameter. Hissing noises originate
from such balls and they sometimes make a loud noise
when they explode.
6
WHY DON’T ALL FISH DIE
WHEN LIGHTNING HITS THE SEA?
Sea water conducts electricity so as soon
as the current enters it, it spreads out in all
directions and any fish in the way would
probably only experience a small current
passing through it, so sparing it from death.
Only fish very near the water’s surface would
be killed. A fish as little as 30cm below the
surface would probably be quite safe.
Think of it like this: If you poured a drop of
blackcurrant juice into a teaspoon, you would
see that it was a very dark purple colour.
Now, if you poured that into a bath full of
water, it would spread out and soon disappear
completely. Lightning is just like that - when
it hits the water, it spreads out straight away
and becomes harmless to all but those at the
very point where it entered the sea.
Fortunately, only very unlucky fish ever get
killed by lightning.
Photo courtesy of ([email protected]) - granted under creative commons licence

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Lightning

What Causes Lightning?

Amazing Facts about Lightning

Cloud-to-ground This lightning is the best known and third most

Cloud-to-air lightning Cloud-to-air lightning is referred to as a discharge or

Inter-cloud and When lightning happens between two separate clouds

Forked Lightning Forked lighting appears as jagged lines of light. They

Ball Lightning Ball lightning is a rare form of lightning. It usually

Photo courtesy of ([email protected]) - granted under creative commons licence

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