2007-09-25 18:21:04 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Weather
The light that reflects off a curved banana travels to your eye in a straight line and allows you to see the banana in its original (curved) form. Similarly when you see lightning (which is basically static electricity), it gives off light which travels to your eye in a straight line. However the lightning itself does not have to be straight any more than the banana does.
2007-09-25 18:28:18 · answer #1 · answered by Special K 3 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Lightning does not refer to light alone.It refers to the entire process which ultmately leads to the production of very bright light--ie,presence of potential difference,reaching breakdown potential,production of arc between the opposite charges,emitting the bright light etc.In fact what you see as a zig-zag path is the actual path through which enormous current flows and similar to the filament of old type bulbs.You might have noticed that the filament of such a bulb itself sometimes fixed inside in a zig-zag way and when a low voltage is applied, the filament will be glowing in the same zig-zag way .It does not mean that light travels in a zig-zag way.
So, the zig-zag form you see in a lightning is the actual path of the current(similar to the filament of a bulb) which can be of any form depending upon the atmospheric conditions and the light which comes out from this path(or arc)is the light we see and this light will always be in straight line only as you said.
2007-09-25 22:01:51 · answer #2 · answered by Arasan 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Light is still traveling in a straight direction from each point. This is kind of hard to explain but the light is all traveling in a straight line from the strike but that does not mean lightning has to be a straight line. If the light were to bend then lightning would look a red or yellow sunset color which I have to admit would be pretty cool. The answer to your question is the entire lightning bolt is not one bit light...there is a charge that shoots through a channel that lightning has created but it shoots through the channel so fast that it looks as though the whole bolt is illuminated. Its like a train flying through a subway so fast that the whole subway looks lit up but its just one train. So from this charge that is shooting through the channel the light is traveling in a straight line from that charge in all directions. Hard to explain without pictures but I hope this helps
2007-09-25 18:32:54 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Lightening has an infinite (or at least a very large number) of light sources (think pixels). Also light does not always travel in a straight path - gravity can bend it.
2007-09-25 18:25:11 · answer #4 · answered by Caninelegion 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Lightening is a static discharge of electricity. The light from it is created by intense heat, like a light bulb.
2007-09-25 18:26:51 · answer #5 · answered by Imhotep 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Solstice is right. regardless of if there is the slightest distinction in velocity between "at once" and "zig zag" lightning, that distinction is so small that we probably could no longer even degree it. the cost of sunshine, and additionally electrical energy, travels at 186,000 miles per 2nd...at once or jagged.
2016-10-20 00:19:10 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hi,
light != lightening.
lightening is a discharge of energy in which electrical potential energy finds a path to an object with a lower potential energy.
hth.
REgards,
Chas.
2007-09-25 18:27:45 · answer #7 · answered by Chas. 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
actually, light is different from lightning. in physics, light is the ability to see. lightning is another matter- it is electricity.
2007-09-25 19:52:04 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
because lightening isn't just light---- it's electricity
2007-09-25 18:25:00 · answer #9 · answered by Tiffany 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋