Question

Which of the following statements are true regarding clouds during a thunderstorm?
1. Upper parts of the clouds are positively charged.
2. Cloud is electrically neutral (no charge) everywhere.
3. Upper parts of clouds are negatively charged.
4. Lower parts of clouds are negatively charged.

• A. Only 1 is correct
• B. Only 2 is correct
• C. Only 3 is correct
• D. Both 1 and 4 are correct

Answer 1

The correct option is D

Both 1 and 4 are correct

A thunderstorm is a storm with lightning and thunder. When the collision of clouds takes place, electrical charges build up within the cloud. Charges separate such that positive charges are accumulated at the upper end and negative charges are accumulated at the bottom end of the cloud.
This can be seen from the diagram below:

Opposite charge is induced on the ground below the cloud. When the charge accumulation is too much, a movement of electrons from the cloud down towards the earth is observed in the form of lightning.