2006-08-28 17:52:38 · 15 answers · asked by treisigbob 3 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Weather
Based on the answers here, I see a lot of confusion. The facts people are confusing...
Lightning (the movement of electrons in an attempt to dissipate the electric charge generated by ice crystals within storm clouds)....
....with the light produced (the excitation of superheated particles in the air which causes them to give off photons).
The lightning itself is the movement of electrons which can move very fast but cannot move at the speed of light. In general, the speed of the electrical discharge is about 1/3 the speed of light or about 62,000 miles per second or 94,000 km/second.
The speed of the light produced is of course, the speed of light itself.
If you wish to verify this, read here:
http://www.lightningsafety.com/nlsi_info/thunder2.html
No matter how much the lightning zigzags across the sky, the discharge moves at about the same speeds BUT electrical resistance can in fact slow the movement of electrons but for all intents and purposes, zig zagging isn't part of that.
The zig-zag pattern you see is the electron particles attempting to find the path of least electrical resistance. Just like water channels go around obstacles trying to find the fastest and quickest way downhill.
2006-08-28 19:21:21 · answer #1 · answered by slynx000 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The flash we see as lightning travels at the same speed regardless of whether it zig-zags a million times or none at all. The speed of light is constant, so velocity doesn't change.
However, because lightning is also an electrical current, it travels the path of least resistance. That's where the zig-zag comes from. And because of that, it will take a longer time to impact anything. So the speed of the lightning will change, since speed is simply Distance divided by Time (s = d/t) and from a physics standpoint is different than velocity.
It's like having two balls roll down a hill at the same time and the same speed, but one has a straight path and the other has several curves and corners. The straight path will arrive at the base sooner than the one with all the turns.
2006-08-28 18:59:29 · answer #2 · answered by Jonathen 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Whether it zigs or zags, it still travels at 186,000 MPS. Yes, it would move between sky and object (it actually goes the other way) in less time if it traveled straight.
Most answers being posted are incorrect. Zig zagging most definitely has an effect. Lightning wouldn't move any faster, but it wood get to the object sooner simply because it would travel a shorter distance.
For example, if it zig zagged to the moon and back 80,000 times before hitting the object on the ground, obviously, it would take more time to hit the object than if the lightning went straight from cloud to ground.
2006-08-28 17:57:29 · answer #3 · answered by vinny_the_hack 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The shortest distance between 2 points is a straight line. The distance light traveled is increased because of the zig zag, but the speed of light is a constant.
2006-08-28 18:45:24 · answer #4 · answered by Shahn 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The lightning is zig-zagging because the ability (elctricity) is vacationing the direction of least resistance. I.E. Air is not purely not something, it really is made from atoms and different remember. The zig zag takes position because the ability travels alongside this conductive direction. i trust this direction is determined earlier to the surely discharge and the launch connects + to - through this direction. As such, the in ordinary words thanks to improve the speed of the ability holiday is to improve the conductivity of the air. Fill a lightning channel (yet not the encompassing air) with with copper airborne dirt and mud and +/- will connect swifter. As an aside to youthful readers who would or may not understand: Thunder is a sonic improve that takes position because the air in the lightning channel is superheated and expands swifter than the speed of sound growing a sonic improve.
2016-12-05 20:59:25 · answer #5 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Actually, I thought I knew, but now I'm wondering. The light we see from the flash travels at constant speed, but what creates the light?
Isn't it the flow of electrons from the ground to the sky? Electrons have mass, so therefore cannot travel at the speed of light (as per Einstein). So I think the answer is yes, as the flow of electrons zigs and zags, there is a small delay in travel time.
But the light that is emitted reaches us just as fast, regardless.
Is this kind of what you wanted?
2006-08-28 18:00:20 · answer #6 · answered by powhound 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
i don't think so. isn't lightening just "light" (well in simlple terms). So light will travel the same distance in the same amount of time whether it is zig zagging or not.
2006-08-28 17:57:06 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you are asking if it would reach the ground quicker, the answer would be yes, but you must also remember that electricity ALWAYS travels the path of least resistance, so the zigzag path is the EASIEST path for the lightning to take.
2006-08-28 17:59:21 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Lightning moves at the speed of light and the speed of light is a constant. It cannot be increased or decreased. Sideward or even backward motion does not affect the overall speed of light.
2006-08-28 17:55:49 · answer #9 · answered by Mr. Curious 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋
You can't move faster than the speed of light. LOL It's the law.
2006-08-28 17:58:32 · answer #10 · answered by redunicorn 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋