What happens to energy trapped in a black hole? What determines the path chosen by lightning?

Answer 1

Question one : The energy trapped in a black hole is converted to mass, so it mass increases as it goes on absorbing energy. However, Stephen Hawking has shown that black holes decay slowly over a period of time, emitting what is called 'Hawking radiation'. Less massive ones decay faster.

Question two : Lightning finds the path of least resistance. This is determined among other things, by the moisture content and the density of the different layers of the atmosphere. Since during or before a rainstorm, these parameters keep varying, the path of lightning zigzags across the sky, frequently splitting into branches and sub-branches. The path chosen is the path of highest conductance at that moment.

Answer 2

question 2
The voltage is nowhere near enough to start an arc across 1000s feet. What happens is that the air breaks down locally. i.e. there is an arc of say 50 feet towards earth, This air is now ionised and conducts electricity. A random path through the next 50 ft occurs but always in an earthward direction. Very near the ground, an arc from the Earth comes up to meet the ionised air. There is now an electrical path through ionised air to the cloud and the lightning strike becomes visible as the current flows. The path of the current flow follows the zigzag route taken down

Answer 3

Whilst there are standard ideas about lightning some recent research by Walt Peterson and his team at the University of Alabama has shown that the biggest influence on lightning appears to be the amount of ice crystals in the cloud.

Answer 4

Question one, I believe it is emitted as waves as diverse as radio and x-ray.
Question 2, geometry and electrical characteristics of the earth and structures affect the lightning's striking point. (or if you did not want to get that involved, it follows the leader it throws out).