2006-08-19 06:51:10 · 5 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Weather
Lightning paths (not necessarily in direction of travel):
Cloud to Cloud
Cloud to "Ground"
Lightning, like electricity can travel either way in the conductive path. Its all about where the abundance of electrons are, and where the deficiencies are, and if theres enough of one, the other, or both to break through the resistivity of the atmosphere.
One "strike" is not necessarily one unidirectional homogenous transfer. There are often 20 or more ministrikes within the one strike, and sometimes the ministrikes are not all in the same direction.
2006-08-19 06:58:22 · answer #1 · answered by Curly 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Actually lightening can travel in either direction depending upon the polarity of the discharge as I recall.
2006-08-19 13:56:47 · answer #2 · answered by COACH 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Three types of lightening have been identified: Earth to cloud, cloud to Earth and cloud to cloud. It depends on the polarity of the charge holding entity. ie If the cloud is negative relative to the earth, the bolt will travel from the cloud to the ground.
2006-08-19 16:06:08 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
there are times when lightning shoots up instead of down. this phenomenon is called a sprite. sprites may shoot up to about 80 km into space.
2006-08-19 19:23:16 · answer #4 · answered by Jobs_141 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes.
2006-08-19 14:05:32 · answer #5 · answered by ag_iitkgp 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋