LIGHTNING

What causes it to happen?What causes it to happen?

How is a charge created?

Strong winds,Strong winds, Collision of water and ice Collision of water and ice

droplets, anddroplets, and Sudden changes in Sudden changes in

temperature…..temperature….. All cause negative All cause negative

electrons to gather on the electrons to gather on the bottom part of a cloud bottom part of a cloud while a positive charge while a positive charge remains on the top.remains on the top.

What happens on the ground?

The negative electrons The negative electrons on the bottom of the on the bottom of the cloud REPEL the cloud REPEL the negative electrons on negative electrons on the ground…leaving it the ground…leaving it POSITIVELY POSITIVELY CHARGED.CHARGED.

How does it get from the cloud to the ground?

The strong attraction The strong attraction between the “+” between the “+” ground and “-”cloud ground and “-”cloud pull apart the electrons pull apart the electrons in the air molecules.in the air molecules.(Ionization)(Ionization)

This creates a This creates a conductor path to the conductor path to the highest point on the highest point on the ground.ground.

Flash..Bang!!

A gigantic discharge A gigantic discharge of electrons occurs of electrons occurs between the cloud and between the cloud and the ground.the ground.

What causes the flash?

The flash is caused by The flash is caused by so many electrons so many electrons colliding with other colliding with other molecules..light is molecules..light is given off.given off.

Heat is also given Heat is also given off..as much as 33000 off..as much as 33000 degrees Celsius! This degrees Celsius! This can cause instant fires.can cause instant fires.

What causes the thunder?

The heat causes the air The heat causes the air to expand rapidly and to expand rapidly and this sends a SHOCK this sends a SHOCK WAVE that we hear as WAVE that we hear as Thunder.Thunder.

Since light travels Since light travels faster than sound..we faster than sound..we see the flash , then see the flash , then hear the thunder.hear the thunder.

Types of Lightning

Lightning can go from Lightning can go from cloud to ground. cloud to ground.

Sheet lightning- goes Sheet lightning- goes from cloud to cloudfrom cloud to cloud

Lightning can also go Lightning can also go from ground to cloud.from ground to cloud.

Lightning Rods

A positively charged A positively charged metal rod can be placed on metal rod can be placed on a high point.a high point.

It is connected to a wire It is connected to a wire which is buried in the which is buried in the ground.ground.

The rod acts as a The rod acts as a conductor, attracting and conductor, attracting and carrying the charge from carrying the charge from the cloud away from the cloud away from buildings and into the buildings and into the ground without harm.ground without harm.

Interesting Facts

Thunder takes 3 Thunder takes 3 seconds to travel seconds to travel 1KM.1KM.

The total amount of The total amount of energy released in one energy released in one major thunderstorm is major thunderstorm is greater than a nuclear greater than a nuclear bomb!bomb!

Lightning can strike Lightning can strike the same place twice.the same place twice.

Where is this???

http://http://science.howstuffworksscience.howstuffworks.com/nature/7389-.com/nature/7389-lightning-video.htmlightning-video.htm

http://http://www.youtube.com/www.youtube.com/watch?v=-watch?v=-KvqaIBOMGsKvqaIBOMGs

(Toronto Lightening (Toronto Lightening storm-August 2011)storm-August 2011)