Question

Why are lightning conductors pointed in shape?

• A. To reduce mass.
• B. It attracts more electric charge due to very small radius and hence small surface area.
• C. It allows more current.
• D. It repels the incident lightning discharge.

Answer 1

Answer: (B)

It attracts more electric charge due to very small radius and hence small surface area.

Pointed lightning conductors attract more charges because of the small cross-sectional area. When a charged cloud passes over the lightning rod, an opposite charge gets induced on it. As the surface area of the rod is very small, the surface density of charge is hence increased considerably. Consequently, the rod attracts the lightning without letting it fall on any other part of the building.