The Mechanisms of Lightning

I. Introduction

Lighting is a great mystery to many. Many do not know the origin of lightning bolts nor their true strength. Lightning bolts are produced from opposite fields interacting. This can result in dangerous bolts that can have devastating results. The bolts have the capacity to injure many things, including appliances, people, forest, etc. However, although these bolts can have dangerous affects, there are prevention techniqies for lightening. These procedures can protect you, loved ones, and property. With lightning come many myths. These myths can endanger people by giving them completely wrong information. However, some myths are ancient and involve rituals of the gods. Lightning is complex in formation, protection, and myths. With lightning comes much danger, which still keeps scientists busy today studying the causes and effects of lightening.

II. What is Lightning?

Lightning is caused from the rising and lowering of air in a thunderstorm. The air movement separates the negative and positive particles. Water and ice are also known to affect the electrical charge distribution. Lightning is the buildup and discharge of electrical energy between negative and positively charged areas. Lightning usually is ignited in the clouds or between the clouds and ground and is a strong electrical power. The average flash of lightning turns on a 100- watt light bulb for over three months. Not only is the flash powerful, but also the air around the strike is hotter than the sun. The rapid heating and cooling of air caused by the strike results in a lightning channel shock wave known as thunder. Lighting occurs all over, the chance of being struck by lightning is 1 in 600,000. A lighting strike cannot only strike a person leaving them with an electrical shock or dead, but also can cause a fire. In the past 10 years over 15,00 fires have been started by lightning.

III. Subtypes of Lightning

There are two types of lightning discharges. These are the CC ( cloud to cloud) and CG (cloud to ground). These two discharges consist of different subtypes of lightning. These types of lightning are spider, bead, and ribbon. And rocket lightning. Spider lightning is a long lasting discharge, which usually exist along the cloud base. The discharge is believed to be so long that it seems to crawl along the base of clouds, which is why the nickname for this lightning is crawler. Bead lightning is a discharge when the conductive part of lightning breaks up into balls of light. This process can occur quickly. Ribbon lightning occurs when the stroke moves sideways, either by wind or movement of the lightning channel. This pattern will break a bolt of lightning showing every stroke after another, similar to a ribbon. Finally, rocket lightning, which is uncommon. This discharge moves vertically to and from the cloud; looking as a jet leaving its flame behind in the clouds.

IV. The Damage and Protection from Lightning

The danger of lightning can go to a great extreme from knocking out a radio communication, to destroying houses and killing people. When a lightning bolt makes contact with a person, fifty percent of the time it doesn?t result in death. The reason being is that lightning is such a high current of electricity that when it makes contact it hits and escapes the flesh in a matter of seconds. Cardiac arrest, temporary blindness and deafness are just a few ways lightning can affect a human. To avoid things like this from happening, when a storm is close stay away from water, windows, and conductive materials (cars, airplanes, etc.).

When a tree is struck by lightning the liquids inside automatically turn into gas. This gas runs underneath the bark or near the center of the trunk. As the