What is Lightning?
- Lightning is an electric current that forms in
Cumulonimbus clouds
- As the warm air underneath
rises through the cold air above the water and
ice particles collide and create static
electricity
- The heavier negative
particles sink to the bottom of the cloud and
the lighter, positively charged particles rise
to the top
- As the charges get large
enough, an electric current (lightning) occurs
between the two charges within the cloud
- Most lightning occurs within
the cloud, but the ground can also create a
buildup a concentrated positive charge around
anything sticking up
(mountains, trees, lightning conductors, and
even people).
- The grounds positive charge
will attract to the negatively charged bottom of
the cloud and create a current between the
ground and cloud.
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