As most people know the Empire State Building gets hit by lightning many times a year. With the construction of the Freedom Tower now underway would it be struck by lightning as well since it is taller? Also, since lightning is attracted to higher up objects would the E.S.B. still be hit by lightning??
2007-06-05 08:16:11 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Weather
Yes and Yes. Lightning is really not attracted to taller objects, taller objects just happen to be closer to the stepped leaders extending down from the clouds. Extremely tall objects are actually more likely to be struck along the sides of the building rather than at the very top.
2007-06-05 08:25:01 · answer #1 · answered by Bryan H 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Lightning likes certain spots, though. I bet the spot where the Empire State Building is was probably hit by lightning frequently even before there was a building there.
2007-06-05 08:47:46 · answer #2 · answered by nora22000 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Yes and yes. All of the tall buildings in New York and elsewhere are struck frequently by lightning. Thanks to the lightning rod, the invention of Benjamin Franklin, there is rarely any damage form this.
2007-06-05 08:21:00 · answer #3 · answered by TG 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes.
You can calculate the frequency of how often it will get struck by lightning if you look up NFPA 780.
2007-06-05 08:24:39 · answer #4 · answered by sprcpt 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋