How is electricity supplied to earth and replenished?

Question

I read probably from my book about thunderstorms that they are partially or completely responsible for replenishing the electricity to earth which is lost due to the earth's charge loss. I would like to understand the entire cycle first at a basic level. How is this planet supplied with electricity and what are some/all of the replenishing processes?

Answer 1

On a most basic level, electricity is a flow of electrons. Electrons are made from two photons. All atoms have electron particles. All matter is made of atoms. Wherever there is matter, there is electrical energy. The earth is made of matter. Read:
http://cfs.nrcan.gc.ca/index/lightning-faq/2
http://physics.bu.edu/~duffy/PY106/Charge.html
http://www.physics.sjsu.edu/becker/physics51/elec_charge.htm
http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Physics_with_Calculus/Part_III/Electric_Charge_and_Coulomb's_Law
http://www.advancedphysics.org/forum/showthread.php?t=202
http://www.rareearth.org/magnets_electricity.htm

Answer 2

There is a cycle of electrical energy flow during thunderstorms, but it does not supply the Earth with electrical energy. Falling rain generates an electrical potential difference between clouds and ground. Lightning merely rebalances that potential difference.

Answer 3

Electricity is a form of energy...it exists in the earth as a renewable form of energy, it doesnt need to be supplied by it, it is produced in the earth, either by natural (thunferbolt) means, or artificial ones (thermoeletric plants)..it is the flux of electrons along lots of conductors....It does NOT need to be replentished...it exist in the planet all the times...remember...energy as matter do not destroy.....they just transform (in other form of mass or energy)''''that is why electricity is nor gained nor lost by earth...and thus, does not need to be replentished...

Answer 4

at the most basic level, all matter already contains electric energy, because atoms and molecules are held together that way. so it doesn't have to get replenished, because all matter already contains it

however, i think the type of energy you are talking about comes from the sun. the sun is our only external energy source...

Answer 5

Electricity is generated from coal, oil, or nuclear power by the power companies. It does not come from thunderstorms.

Answer 6

Hydroelectric ability comes from gravity. maximum different resources of ability ultimately come from the daylight. Gravity keeps the earth in orbit around the daylight, yet it really is somewhat a stretch to assert all our ability comes from gravity.