2007-04-29 03:37:01 · 7 answers · asked by SHIVA 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Weather
Tires are made of rubber, which does not conduct electricity. If you ever find yourself in the middle of a thunderstorm while driving, stay in your vehicle until the storm passes just to be safe.
2007-04-29 03:46:34 · answer #1 · answered by Paul L 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A vehicle (not just a four wheeler) acts as a Faraday Cage (or Faraday Shield).
A Faraday cage is a metal shell or enclosure, the electrical charges within the shell act against each other and force any charge to the exterior of the shell. If a vehicle or any other enclosed metalic object were to be struck by lightning the charge would flow across the exterior surface and the persons or contents would be quite safe. This principle is frequently used to protect sensitive equipment from electrical discharge.
It's this same reason that airplanes can be struck by lightning (as they often are) and be undamaged.
Wikipedia has more info - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faraday_cage
2007-04-29 04:06:21 · answer #2 · answered by Trevor 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Because of pure LUCK!
I was driving in a thunderstorm one day, when the vehicle in front of me got hit by lightning. It hit the trunk, went thru the trunk, thru the gas tank, and down to the road below.
The gas tank exploded, the driver ran off the road and crashed into a tree. People were out in the rain and lightning, throwing dirt and water into the vehicle to try to put out the fire and save the poor guy. He did not make it.
There was a burnt hole all the way thru the trunk and gas tank, and a big hole in the road where the lightning hit.
So when you are in a lightning storm in a vehicle, start praying.
2007-04-29 14:31:36 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
You are inside of a shell of conductive metal. If the car is hit by lightning or a static discharge, the current will flow around the body and anyone within will not experience it. The car is a 'faraday cage'.
2007-04-29 08:38:32 · answer #4 · answered by squeezie_1999 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Lightning strikes the exterior (outer surface) of any type of shell and not the inside surface. Hence, when people are inside any closed 4 wheeler, lightning strikes the outer surface only and reaches the earth therefrom, while the people inside are safe.
2007-04-29 04:12:51 · answer #5 · answered by Modest 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
We are aware of the fact that metals conduct electricty. When inside a car, he electricity flows through the metal, not through the air. The shock then flows to the ground. This priniple is the same in Faraday's cage.
2007-04-30 17:16:37 · answer #6 · answered by Raiga Rokka 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The rubber tires act has an insulator not allowing the current to go to ground.
2007-04-29 03:48:31 · answer #7 · answered by dmrho 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋