What causes lightning and Is it true that lightning sometimes strikes from the ground up?

Question

I saw the most amazing lightning strike last night. It was so close to me, that, literally, everything went white for a second. It was, by far, the brightest light I've ever seen. It actually looked hot. When I went home and told my husband he began explaining that certain "types" of lightning strike from the ground up. I know I can google this but am curious what the majority believes...

Answer 1

Lightning strikes are generated from negative charged particles being dragged down through the atmosphere by falling rain or cold air masses. These negative charges change directions as they get closer to the ground b/c they are traveling along the path of least resistance (which is not a straight line). As the stream of negative charge gets closer to the ground it begins attracting a positive charge from the ground. This positive charge will send out a slightly visible 'lead' bolt up into the air where it connects with the negative charges, completes the connection and the positive charges flow upward into the cloud layer.

Lightning is caused by the difference in charge of the cloud layer and the ground. Most lightning strikes are 'negative' strikes. That is the cloud is negatively charged and needs to balance this by connecting with the ground and 'taking' some of its positive charge. Cloud-to-Cloud lightning is caused by charge differences between two cloud areas.

And for added fun, lightning can travel up to 10 miles out from a storm. Lightning has also been known to occur on cloudless days.

Answer 2

Lightning ALWAYS strikes from the ground up.

We see it the other way around because it starts off weak and concentrated in the ground and then spreads out in the clouds.

Lightning is created the same way you can get a shock by rubbing your feet on carpet and touching a metal door knob. As the clouds move across the sky, pushed by the wind, which is generated by the temperature difference caused by the heating of the sun, they create friction. When you have friction, and the right circumstances a charge builds up.

The clouds build up a positive charge and Ben Franklin had it wrong electricity moves from Negative to Positive. So the lightning jumps up from the ground. Coming from a point source, the grounded point, it spreads out to the cloud so we see the flash there in the sky. It is also possible for lightning to strike between the clouds, but that electricity got there from the ground.

Sheet lightning is when the spread effect I talked about is huge and no single fork can be seen. The thunder clap is of course caused by the air rushing into the vacuum created when the bolt of lightning vaporized the air in which it passed through.

Answer 3

no, I don't think lighning strikes up from the ground. Lightning is actually a very large amount of static electricity (I didn't believe that either lol) and it will try to take the shortest path to the earth and/or the path of least restince. If it struck from the ground up then it would be taking the opposite direction to where it wants to go. I'm pretty sure that's a Myth (but you should seriously send it to Mythbusters lol)

Answer 4

Actually,it doesn't strike from the ground up.What does happen is that streamers start reaching up from the earth and at the same time they also start reaching down from the cloud.Once they meet,a conductive path is established for the lightning bolt to travel down to the earth.This streamer phenomena is also called St.Elmo's Fire.You were very lucky you weren't injured, if it struck that close.Remember we are talking several million volts and almost an equal amount of amps of current.

Answer 5

yes it comes from the ground as the ground is the most important part of electricity dont listen to these people that tell you different and look for your self you will see athough this is common knowledge well maybee not so common

Answer 6

Your husband's right. I saw it on a documentary.

Answer 7

no