questions about thunder and lightning?

Question

i would like to know some things that confuse me about thunder and lightning. first, does lightning come up from the ground or down from the sky? second, what makes lightning go down (or up) like it does and in a awkward way (vien like or zig zag) when you hear thunder does that mean somewhere lightning has struck? if so how does lightning make the sound of thunder? if not what makes the sound of thunder? thank you or your answers and if theres any cool facts about lightning you know throw that in there or a site with them or answers on it.

Answer 1

Dear Rebecca M :

It seems to Me that everyone else here have posted very cientifica data, outstanding...
I am personally looking for lightning rods and other surge supression devices in a DIY mode, since thunderstorms are hitting My area lately and My house has no protection installed...
I know a fun fact : Odds are twice as much that You're struck twice by a lightning that to be killed by a serial killer...

Smile, Cute One ! ;-)

Answer 2

That's a lot of questions. I'll try to answer a few.

1) lightning does go up (in the case of cloud to ground lightning). The ground is negatively charged and the clouds have a positive charge.
2) electricity will always take the path of least resistance, which means that it will follow the ion path it can find (hence the zig-zag since the ions are not in a straight line)
3) Thunder always indicates lightning. When lightning strikes, it superheats the air around it. This causes the air to expand and then collapse once the lightning has passed. The rapid collapse of the air molecules causes thunder.

Answer 3

Lightning happens from the ground to the sky. The reason for this is because protons and be drawn from up from the ground. This term is usually called polarization effect. The reason lightning zig zags downward it's because of the electromagnetic field applies a force to moving charges. So that is why lightning is never perfectly straight. Lightning does make thunder. When lightning flashes it releases incredible amount of heat around 40,000 degrees Celsius. When the air heats up it quickly expands and cool quickly with contract. The air contraction slams the air molecules together and the begin moving back and forward making sound waves that create thunder. The contract creates the sound we hear is like a crack and pop explosion sound of thunder. As the air moves back and forward it makes soundwave that gives us that rumble noise we hear for a few seconds.

Answer 4

Lighting is first. Always. Lightning is what we call the sight of a difference in static(or something else) charge. Lightning occurs when the net charge in one area, say the ground, is negative, and the net charge in a relitivlely nearby area, a cloud above, is positive. when the difference between charges is great enough the electrons from the negative charged area will jump to the positve area creating an electric arc. The two areas with different chrages can be anything, souch as your finger and a metal object. Lightning is jsut like any static discharge, but is only applied to the atmosphere. So lighting can come from the ground up, or the cloud down, or from cloud to to cloud. Lighting makes noise when it passes through the atmosphere because it forces the air in it's path out of the way, much like when you clap yours hands.

Answer 5

Lightning & Thunder

Q: Why is there lightning and thunder?
A: Lightning is electricity. In effect, positive charges and negative charges collect in different parts of a cloud -- no one really knows exactly how. When enough charges collect, there is a bolt of lightning as the electricity travels between areas of opposite charge. Lightning can flow between clouds or from the cloud to the ground. The lightning jumps through the air, heating the air and making it expand. The air then quickly contracts again as it cools. This movement of air makes the sound wave called thunder. (Al Peterlin)

Q: How powerful is a bolt of lightning?

A: How's this for an answer you'll have to research? Peak current intensity is of the order 10 to 100 million volts of electricity; the average about 30,000 amps. Energy goes into light and heat with temperatures about 54,000 degrees Farenheit, six times hotter than the sun. (Al Peterlin)

Q: Does lightning come up from the ground or down from the sky?
A: Both. Lightning streaks inside a cloud, between clouds, and from clouds to the ground. Lightning is a flow of electrons (a negative charge) that zigzags downward in a forked shaped pattern (scientists call this a step leader). As it nears the earth, a stream of positive charges moves up to the charge of electrons (negative charge). When they meet, the power flows. We can't see this because it moves too fast (first stroke). The return flow (positive charge) moves upward more slowly. This is what we see and call lightning (return stroke). If there is a flicker, the upward stroke is repeating the process. (Al Peterlin)

Q: How many forms of lightning are there?
A: Lightning is, generally, any and all forms of visible electrical discharge produced by thundershowers. There are many names. Directly from the Glossary of Meteorology, different forms include: streak lightning, forked, sheet, heat lightning, and ball lightning. (Al Peterlin)

Q: What happens to something as lightning strikes it?
A: Lightning is electricity and it flows through the objects it comes in contact with as it moves to the ground. (Al Peterlin)

Q: What color is lightning and why?
A: Lightning seems to be clear or a white-yellow color, but depending on the background it can appear to be other colors. (Al Peterlin)

Q: Is it true there are lightning strikes in space?
A: I really don't know. Space could be defined as "at or close to a vacuum" with little to trigger an electrical discharge. Wherever in space there is an atmosphere and convection (tumbling energy), such as on other planets, there probably could be lightning. (Al Peterlin)

Answer 6

I'm just going to answer one of your questions. Lightning strikes in both directions from the cloud to the ground and ground to cloud. What you do not see is the leader, also called a stepped leader. This establishes the path of the lightning. The pulse instantaneously follows this leader and it can go in both directions. Also what you do not see, well actually you can see this are lightning flicker, is that a lightening strike may have up to 10 pulses up or down the path, it happens too fast.

Answer 7

Lightning is gentle, thunder is sound. gentle travels speedier than sound. So if u listen thunder and be conscious lightning mutually, the thunder is likely from the most suitable bolt of lightning, and the hot bolt has happened and u see it.

Answer 8

Lightning can go both ways, though it usually comes up from the ground. Thunder is the sound caused by rapidly moving air created by lightning
Here are some good sites
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lightning
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thunder

Answer 9

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