• Question: How is lightening created???

    Asked by xxonedirectionxx to Andrew, Daniel, Hayley, Natalia, Peta on 22 Nov 2011.
    • Photo: Hayley Smith

      Hayley Smith answered on 22 Nov 2011:

      Lightening strikes as we see them are like giant sparks (like you can get sometimes in electric circuits).
      I’m not sure how this bit happens…but somehow there’s a build up of charge in the atmosphere, mainly in clouds I guess. I don’t really know how this happens, but I’m guessing it’s something to do with particles moving next to each other and as they do they rip off electrons leaving positively charged ions. (The same kind of effect as when you rub a balloon against a woolen jumper, charge is transferred).
      When this electric field builds up to a big enough level the spark (lightening strike) occurs and this is like a massive discharge of electricity.

      So maybe that answer more explains what lightening is, rather than how it is created which is what you really asked… but that’s all I know I’m afraid – maybe one of the other scientists knows better than me how the electric field is set up in the first place…

      Hope it was helpful though!

      PS-the only reason I know about lightening is because I absolutely hate hate hate thunder and lightening so I tried to like it more by understanding what happens but nope, still hate it!!!

    • Photo: Daniel Scully

      Daniel Scully answered on 22 Nov 2011:

      Lightning is when there is such a high voltage between two clouds, or between the clouds and the air that electricity can flow through the air. As it does so it super-heats the air and that’s the bright light you see.

      I don’t think anyone really knows how the voltage builds up in the first, it’s still an active area of research.

      I believe one of the current ideas is that when air moves upwards very fast, the water it carries cools and forms ice crystals and it’s collisions between these crystals that (somehow?) build up a voltage.

    • Photo: Andrew Cairns

      Andrew Cairns answered on 22 Nov 2011:

      Lightning terrifies me! It is scary how much charge can be created by clouds. Just remember, never use telephones when there is a lightning storm!

      If you want to be really safe, then you should life in a Faraday Cage, devices built to conduct the electricity around you and keep you safe. DO NOT try this at home! http://youtu.be/Zi4kXgDBFhw

    • Photo: Peta Foster

      Peta Foster answered on 22 Nov 2011:

      The lightening is created by the clouds charging up, like the other scientists have said… i think it is generated by static electricity by the cloud particles, water droplets, ice, dust rubbing against each other 😀

      Hope this helps 🙂

Comments

  • Photo: Peta

    Peta commented on :

    The lightening is created by the clouds charging up, like the other scientists have said… i think it is generated by static electricity by the cloud particles, water droplets, ice, dust rubbing against each other 😀

    You can even get upwards lightening as i found out today… looks awesome!

    Hope this helps 🙂