2006-12-14 01:20:45 · 8 answers · asked by nev 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Earth Sciences & Geology
They do get hit by lightning
2006-12-14 01:22:57 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
they do get hit by lightning all the time ( I've been hit twice sailing yachts around)....and the other answers about not being grounded are incorrect.......
a 600 foot by 100 foot metal hull in the water is nothing but a HUGE grounding plate! There is a huge area for the lightning strike to thin out through on its way to the sea so damage to a steel cargo ship is un-noticeable.
It's a different story with a fiberglass or wood yacht.....while there is some controversy about this, most wood or 'glass boats 'bond' all their metal fittings.....they are all attached together to a thick copper cable that is then attached to either a metal plate or keel under water. The theory is the lightening hits a mast, runs down the copper cable and into the ocean. If there isn't a cable, the lightning hits a mast and then goes out to the sea thru the side of the boat.
The effect is much like getting hit by a phaser off the Enterprise......
2006-12-15 10:05:34 · answer #2 · answered by yankee_sailor 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
My husband is a sailor and they did get hit by lighting ships even have lighting rods on them. The lighting travels through the ship an into the water. The lighting goes through the ship evenly most ships have deperm coils through them and this helps with the lighting.
2006-12-17 15:17:50 · answer #3 · answered by Heidi 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
They do get hit by lightning and the cureent passes safely into the ocean.
2006-12-14 09:24:38 · answer #4 · answered by Gene 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
They *do* get hit by lighting, including a particular kind that "dances" in the upper rigging called "St. Elmo's Fire".
Just getting hit by lighting doesn't automatically mean it will damaged or destroyed; maybe that's where your question is coming from.
2006-12-14 09:25:03 · answer #5 · answered by Elise K 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Because the ships are not grounded. In order to conduct electricity they must be touching, or touching something that is touching the ground. This must be done in order to be hit by lightning (hence conduct electricity).
2006-12-14 09:32:15 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
Its the highest/most conductive place. Its not about the height but the ease with which the electricity can run its course...water is waaaaaaaay more conductive than most else so it goes there first generally (and theres tonnes of it).
2006-12-14 09:25:01 · answer #7 · answered by delprofundo 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
they do get hit but are not as greatly affected by the strike because they are not earthed like land based buildings are. :-)
2006-12-14 09:25:52 · answer #8 · answered by brisbane b 4 · 0⤊ 2⤋