what is a lightning like what causes it? might sound simple/stupid .
2007-11-17 10:14:42 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Weather
Lightning is a large discharge of electricity in the sky. It is similar to when a person gets shocked but only much larger. In fact, it has a negative charge of about 40 kiloamperes. Lighting is caused by the buildup of static electricity during a storm or volcanic eruption being released.
2007-11-17 10:23:47 · answer #1 · answered by Igthomque 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The biggest of all electrical sparks in the atmosphere. The cause of lightning is the imbalance of positive and negative charges in a thundercloud. The imbalances are trying to cancel each other out. The spark tries to find something to complete the circuit, and hence the ground is the perfect place. Clouds are also places where lightning circuits are completed without even touching the ground.
Amazingly, it is a big static electricity spark.
Well, if you had felt a shock from touching a metal doorknob, you are introduced to lightning as the positive and negative charges try to complete a circuit from something.
2007-11-17 19:25:00 · answer #2 · answered by charlessmith702210@sbcglobal.net 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Lighting is caused by the accumulation of electrons in the clouds. The ground contains a negative charge. The polarity of the respective charges is arbitrary b/c it is the difference in the charges of the ground and clouds which cause the electrical energy to be transferred to the ground. Basically, they charges are trying to balance each other by sending the excess of charged particles from the higher concentration to the lower concentration. Osmosis operates under the same principles, moving from places of higher to lower concentration.
Don't let your eyes fool you however, b/c lightning strikes upward, not downward. There are more charged particles in the surface of the Earth than in the clouds, so the lightning strikes up.
2007-11-17 18:40:02 · answer #3 · answered by John S 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A lightning is a large scale example of an electric spark.A spark or discharge occurs when the elecrical potential difference between two points separated by air reaches a very high value.This value depends on the conductivity of the air and distance between the points.So, lightning occurs when the electrical potential difference between the cloud and the ground or between two clouds or between parts of a cloud exceeds the breakdown potential.Electrical potential differences develop in clouds when positive and negative electrical charges are separated from one another.
2007-11-20 07:45:37 · answer #4 · answered by Arasan 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Electrical discharge when opposite charge clouds come in contact.
2007-11-18 03:31:43 · answer #5 · answered by Mark Federer 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
super charged static electricity
2007-11-17 19:17:34 · answer #6 · answered by hill bill y 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋