I just saw the movie sweet home alabama where the guy makes sculptures by having lightning hit the sand on the beach and wondered if that was really possible
2007-09-06 11:19:12 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Weather
Yes, it is absolutely possible. It really helps if the sand has some alkalai in it to act as flux, so some sand is better at doing it than others.
They are called FULGURITES and you can buy them as here http://www.minresco.com/fulgurites/fulgurites.htm
esearch on 'lightning glass' for more
2007-09-08 12:48:52 · answer #1 · answered by Mike1942f 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's possible. Sand is made chiefly of silicon dioxide, which is basically glass. The heat from lightning can melt sand particles together into glassy clumps. I don't know whether or not there's enough heat energy in a lightning bolt to melt an entire sculpture's worth of sand, though.
2007-09-06 18:27:57 · answer #2 · answered by Brent L 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It depends on the sand and how hot the lightening is i suppose
2007-09-06 18:26:19 · answer #3 · answered by ClaireBear 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No
2007-09-10 17:47:57 · answer #4 · answered by crystal 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋