Lightning is a discharge of electricity
. A single stroke of lightning can heat the air around it to 30,000°C (54,000°F)! This extreme heating causes the air to expand explosively fast. The expansion creates a shock wave that turns into a booming sound wave, known as thunder.
How does lightning occur physics?
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.
What causes thunder and lightning physics?
Answer. Thunder is caused by
the rapid expansion of the air surrounding the path of a lightning bolt
. … The rapid rise in temperature creates a rapid increase in the air pressure as well, rising to 10 to 100 times the normal atmospheric pressure.
What is lightning in terms of physics?
Lightning is
a naturally occurring electrostatic discharge during which two electrically charged regions
, both in the atmosphere or with one on the ground, temporarily equalize themselves, causing the instantaneous release of as much as one gigajoule of energy.
What is the science behind lightning and thunder?
As lightning
passes through the air it heats the air quickly
. This causes the air to expand rapidly and creates the sound wave we hear as thunder. … Since lightning can strike outward 10 miles from a thunderstorm, if you hear thunder, you are likely within striking distance from the storm.
What is the 30 30 Rule of lightning?
When You See Lightning, Count The Time Until You Hear Thunder. If That Is 30 Seconds
Or Less, The Thunderstorm Is Close Enough To Be Dangerous – Seek Shelter
(if you can't see the lightning, just hearing the thunder is a good back-up rule). Wait 30 Minutes Or More After The Lightning Flash
What are the types of lightning?
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.
What is red lightning?
Sprites, also known as red lightning, are
electrical discharges that appear as bursts of red light above clouds during thunderstorms
. … The researchers hope to learn more about the physical and chemical processes that give rise to sprites and other forms of upper atmospheric lightning.
How lightning is created?
Lightning is an electrical discharge caused by imbalances between storm clouds and the ground, or within the clouds themselves. Most lightning occurs within the clouds. … This
heat causes surrounding air to rapidly expand and vibrate
, which creates the pealing thunder we hear a short time after seeing a lightning flash.
What is spark lightning?
Lightning is
a giant spark of electricity in the atmosphere between clouds, the air, or the ground
. … Lightning can occur between opposite charges within the thunderstorm cloud (intra-cloud lightning) or between opposite charges in the cloud and on the ground (cloud-to-ground lightning).
Why can I hear thunder without lightning?
No,
it is not possible to
have thunder without lightning. Thunder starts as a shockwave from the explosively expanding lightning channel when a large current causes rapid heating. However, it is possible that you might see lightning and not hear the thunder because it was too far away. … Thunder is caused by lightning.
Is lightning hotter than the sun?
In fact, lightning can heat the air it passes through to 50,000 degrees Fahrenheit (
5 times hotter than the surface of the sun
). …
What are the six forms of lightning?
- Cloud-to-Ground (CG) Lightning.
- Negative Cloud-to-Ground Lightning (-CG) …
- Positive Cloud-to-Ground Lightning (+CG) …
- Cloud-to-Air (CA) Lightning. …
- Ground-to-Cloud (GC) Lightning. …
- Intracloud (IC) Lightning.
Where is the safest place in a lightning storm?
A car or other enclosed metal structure
is the safest place to be in a thunderstorm. Failing that, a ditch, trench or group of shrubs of uniform height is better than nothing. Keep away from boundary areas between dissimilar terrain (water and land; rock and earth; trees and fields).
Is it safe to stand near a window during a thunderstorm?
Fact: While a house is the safest place you can be during a storm, just going inside isn't enough. You must avoid any conducting path leading outside, such as electrical appliances, wires, TV cables, plumbing, metal doors or metal window frames.
Don't stand near a window to watch the lightning
.
Can I charge my phone during a thunderstorm?
While
it is safe to use a cellphone
(if it's not plugged into a wall charger, that is) during a thunderstorm, it is not safe to use your landline. Lightning can travel through the phone lines—and if it does, you could be electrocuted.
