suppose lightning has to travel from point A to B, it always takes zig-zag or infinite turns to reach A-B, so why doesn't lightning travel in a straight line?
2007-07-19 20:03:24 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
Because the cloud borders are irregular!!
2007-07-19 20:06:51 · answer #1 · answered by avsubbarao 3 · 0⤊ 3⤋
Light travels in straight line; there is no definite path for lightning.
Why do you expect lightning should travel in a straight line?
In fact lightning does not travel.
It occurs.
Imagine a curved road and there are many lamp posts. When we switch on the lights, all lamps will be seen along the curved road.
Suppose that the number of light posts is increased and hardly there is a gap in between the posts. Further assume that the lamps are on one after the other. When the lights are on we see the light moving from one end to the other end in a curved path.
We are seeing daily the sign boards used for advertisement and for attracting one’s attention. They display any figure or letters with light emitting bulbs.
But the light from each lamp travels in a straight line to our eye.
Similar is the case of lightning.
Wherever the discharge occurs, it becomes a source of light like the bulb.
It is not necessary that in the space the weak points where discharge occurs must be in a straight line.
If the sources of light happened to be in straight line, then the lightning will appear to move in a straight line.
2007-07-19 21:23:17 · answer #2 · answered by Pearlsawme 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Although we can't see it, air is made up of all sorts of different gases, elements, particles, moisture and the like. As a result, air is a lot like that dirt- irregular and uneven.
When a lightning channel begins to form, pulled along by the difference in electrical charges, it takes the path of least resistance through the air- very much like the water flowing down a rocky hill.
The result? The 'zig-zagged' shaped lightning
2007-07-19 20:08:31 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
The lightning isn't mild. it is electrical energy that creates mild. That mild is going in a quickly line from the lightning on your eyes. The electrical energy is following the process least resistance. this would seem humorous, yet small alterations in the humidity, temperature and such could make it circulate in humorous approaches.
2016-12-14 14:16:32 · answer #4 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Thats because the electron group is accumulated over some volume and the distribution is not uniform. Thus different no. of electrons get transferred to earth along the ionized zone from different region resulting in bending of the actual path of the electrons.
2007-07-19 21:16:17 · answer #5 · answered by mmsabde 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The path of least resistance, (zone of most easily ionized air), in a turbulant atmosphere is rarely a straight line.
2007-07-19 20:10:39 · answer #6 · answered by Irv S 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Electricity always follows the shortest path of least resistance. That path is never a straight line.
2007-07-19 20:07:54 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
There are many more practical and useful areas of lightening to explore rather than this hypothetical question:
http://radar.weather.gov/jetstream/lightning/lightning_faq.htm#2
2007-07-23 05:27:57 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
it has a wave form... not like light that travels in a straight line...
2007-07-19 21:21:37 · answer #9 · answered by Harish Jharia 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
cuz itz like BLAHOW
2007-07-19 20:07:03 · answer #10 · answered by Good Ol' Gary Shanty 4 · 0⤊ 2⤋