Why can we see lightning?... Why does it disappear?
2006-12-13 09:55:38 · 12 answers · asked by Scott Elwood 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Weather
Lightning is NOT plasma. I repeat, lightning is NOT plasma. If lighting was plasma, then the first lightning bolt ever would have ignited the oxygen around it, and life on earth would probably not exist as we know it.
Now that that's been cleared up...
Lightning, (as you probably know) is electricity. It is caused by the buildup of ions in the storm cloud. The cloud becomes polarized, with negative ions congregating towards the bottom and positive ions collecting at the top. When the negative charge at the bottom of the cloud becomes great enough, it shoots down towards the earth (which is a large sink of positively charged ions) in the form of an electric current. Because this movement is so fast, the molecules in the air that the lightning passes through gains a lot of heat. This heat causes it to glow white-hot for a very short instant. The molecules lose this acquired heat to its surroundings and also in the light that you see. This entire process happens very fast, so all you see is a flash of light.
The best way to describe lightning would pretty much be this:
Its like a really big spark.
2006-12-13 10:09:40 · answer #1 · answered by saragon900 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Lightning is plasma, the superheated gas state of nature. In an electrical storm, the storm clouds are charged like giant capacitors in the sky. The upper portion of the cloud is positive and the lower portion is negative. The strong electrical field creates a path for the lightning. The cloud gives off all its charge in the one flash, and starts charging again, so it disappears.
2006-12-13 10:00:48 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
you can only see it because the massive amount of electricity passing through the air ionizes it and heats it up so much it turns into plasma, and after the electricity passes through the air the plasma cools down and turns back into a gas.
2006-12-13 10:09:24 · answer #3 · answered by snowboarder99300 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is the instant when the nitrogen in the atmosphere becomes super heated by the electricity passing through it.
2006-12-13 09:57:54 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
We can see it because it is light (the same way you see an spark when lighting an electric cooker) and it disappears when it is 'earthed'.
2006-12-13 09:58:22 · answer #5 · answered by Ecko 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Parce que c'est comme ça
Et en Plus c'est très chaud
2006-12-15 05:14:58 · answer #6 · answered by pingouin 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because anything that makes that much noise has to be clearly visible. It's a Federal law.
2006-12-13 09:58:03 · answer #7 · answered by Trollbuster 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i see lighting but if you can't its because it strikes so fast that hot and cold hit and boom a flash say i have the best answer so i can get 10 point i beg of you
2006-12-13 12:16:22 · answer #8 · answered by mjsmoothwwe 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it travels at the speed of light which is like very fast indeed
2006-12-13 09:58:49 · answer #9 · answered by sherminator 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
because it has too much pressure in the green house effect so it pulls down
2006-12-13 09:57:52 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋