(a) What is lightning? How is lightning produced between clouds in the sky?
(b) Why does lightning usually strike tall buildings?
(c) What damage can be done when lightning strikes on the earth?
(a) What is lightning? How is lightning produced between clouds in the sky?
(b) Why does lightning usually strike tall buildings?
(c) What damage can be done when lightning strikes on the earth?
(a) Lightning is caused by electricity moving in between clouds or between the clouds and the ground. The electricity is formed when ice and water particles move around rapidly inside the clouds. The heat of the lightning causes thunder. As the hot electrical charge passes through the air, it heats up the air and it bursts to produce the thunder sound. It is a natural electrical discharge of very short duration.
(b) Static electric charge induced in tall buildings during lightning. Taller the buildings are, closer they are to the clouds/charges flowing down from sky. Charge induction happens more in closer objects than in far away objects. Charge induction means equal and opposite charges come out on to surface of dry objects when a static charge comes nearby.
(c)
- Fire damage: The biggest threat lightning poses to a structure is fire. Wood and other flammable construction materials can easily explode when exposed to the high temperature of a lightning strike. Lightning current travelling through wires and pipelines instantly burns them up causing complete damage to property.
- Power surge damage: If lightning chooses electrical wiring as its primary or secondary path, the explosive surge can damage all the appliances it is connected to.
- Shockwave damage: Lightning produces shock waves that can be destructive. These shock waves can fracture concrete and brick and stone chimneys severely.
(a) Lightning is caused by electricity moving in between clouds or between the clouds and the ground. The electricity is formed when ice and water particles move around rapidly inside the clouds. The heat of the lightning causes thunder. As the hot electrical charge passes through the air, it heats up the air and it bursts to produce the thunder sound. It is a natural electrical discharge of very short duration.
(b) Static electric charge induced in tall buildings during lightning. Taller the buildings are, closer they are to the clouds/charges flowing down from sky. Charge induction happens more in closer objects than in far away objects. Charge induction means equal and opposite charges come out on to surface of dry objects when a static charge comes nearby.
(c)
- Fire damage: The biggest threat lightning poses to a structure is fire. Wood and other flammable construction materials can easily explode when exposed to the high temperature of a lightning strike. Lightning current travelling through wires and pipelines instantly burns them up causing complete damage to property.
- Power surge damage: If lightning chooses electrical wiring as its primary or secondary path, the explosive surge can damage all the appliances it is connected to.
- Shockwave damage: Lightning produces shock waves that can be destructive. These shock waves can fracture concrete and brick and stone chimneys severely.
