2006-06-28 05:03:07 · 13 answers · asked by dakey 2 in Games & Recreation ➔ Other - Games & Recreation
in realation to speed
2006-06-28 05:43:28 · update #1
lightning
2006-06-28 05:06:42 · answer #1 · answered by chiefs_daughter1900 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
I assume that when you say electricity you are referring to the power that passes through the wiring in your house. If that is the context then the answers you have received (except for lightning being electricity) are mostly wrong.
Electricity as we use it is free electrons which are small sub-atomic particles that in a vacuum travel at near the speed of light, since anything with mass traveling at the speed of light is not the usual way of things. Current in wiring flows slower due to resistance, this resistance builds up heat and other electromagnetic effects. In fact the current that flows through appliances doesn't flow at all when the power is off and the circuits and other elements that direct the electricity make it flow in such a way that its power can be made useful, but it does slow it down. However lightning is a phenomenon called static electricity. Basically a bunch of electrons gathering together and looking for the path of least resistance, when they find it they take off. Also passing through something that offers resistance, the air.
The bottom line, it depends on what device or wire you are looking at for how fast electricity in a wire will move. However generally since it's a highly conductive substance (it was built that way) it moves smoothly from point a to b at the greatest speed the conductive substance is able to transport it. The lightning however passes through various gradients of air with resistance and in reality takes much longer normally to get from point a to b. so Lightning "NORMALLY" travels slightly slower than electricity through a wire.
2006-06-28 05:35:31 · answer #2 · answered by Brian_lord 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
ahhhh interesting question...to over simplify,
lightning is a form of electricity.(i wont go into how it is formed in the atmosphere)....you can see lightning in the sky, due to the impeadance in the atmosphere(as slight as it may be)
you could wrap a wire around the globe, put a light on one end and a switch on the other.
when you flip the switch the light(if its a regular light bulb) and it will instantly light up.
so technically...even though they are in essance the same thing, electricity is faster
2006-06-28 05:15:43 · answer #3 · answered by bo_hic_a 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A lightening bold will travel from 100 to 1000 miles per hour. Electricity will travel at the (and please correct me if I am wrong) at the speed of light. 186,000 miles per second (about 299,000 K per second)
So if I am right, electricity is much faster.
2006-06-28 05:08:43 · answer #4 · answered by Bacchus 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Neither, they are the same thing.
FYI "electricity"
Now if you ask about thunder, THAT'S slower, since sound doesn't travel as fast. That's why you see the lightning before you hear the thunder, unless you're right where the lightning occurred.
2006-06-28 05:08:17 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Lightning IS electricity, so your question makes no sense.
To understand lightning, it helps to learn a little about electricity. After all, lightning is a form of electricity. A quick way to learn about electricity is to learn about static electricity. You have probably experienced static electricity.
2006-06-28 05:06:05 · answer #6 · answered by ndtaya 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Wow, that's a great question..
I think they are both electricity based...A flow through free electrons..
Same speed, I assume.
2006-06-28 05:07:08 · answer #7 · answered by abhas1 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Lighting? That is electricity. If I had to choose it would have to be electricity, because you have to have that to get lighting.
2006-06-28 05:07:11 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
WELL BOTH TRAVEL AT THE SPEED OF LIGHT.
2006-06-28 05:11:32 · answer #9 · answered by pHatman 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
lighting
2006-06-28 05:07:22 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
they are the same
2006-06-28 05:08:31 · answer #11 · answered by CALLIE 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋