Question

How are negative and positive charges formed in clouds?

Answer 1

Dear Student!!

As water vapors evaporate it is carried by air, this involves friction of vapor particles and development of static electricity. When large cloud mass accumulate, enormous amount of electric charge gets stored on it. When this accumulation of charge exceeds that of the electric capacity of the clouds and air, a spark jumps from a cloud of higher potential to clouds of lower potential. If no lower potential clouds are found, the clouds transfers excess electricity to earth. We call this spark lightning.