The cloud has an upper part that has a positive charge and a lower part that has a negative charge. The electrons in the ground move away from the cloud because like charges repel. This causes the electrons from the cloud to jump to the ground quickly in an effort to make the ground neutral, this is what creates lightning, kind of like a spark. Hope this helps :D
In cloud to ground lightning, it may seem that lightning strikes in a downward direction because of how quickly it happens, however, this is actually inaccurate.
By law, negative charges reside at the bottom of a storm cloud.
Positive charges reside at the top of a storm cloud.
If there is enough electrical energy within the storm cloud, a single negatively charged particle (electron) will emerge from the cloud and begin heading towards the ground. This is called a "stepped leader".
On the ground, positive charges begin building up below the stepped leader and since opposite charges attract each other, these positive charges begin heading up to meet the negative stepped leader.
When they connect to each other, a channel is established and more electrons begin flowing downward.
Next a "return stroke" of positive charges flow up this channel and create the bright flash we see as lightning.
Cloud-to-cloud lightning is commonly referred to as intracloud lightning because it occurs entirely within the same cloud without reaching the ground.
It's called in-cloud or cloud-to-cloud lightning.
It's called in-cloud or cloud-to-cloud lightning.
Double ZapperYes. In fact, visible lightning usually comes up from the ground into the cloud! The lightning bolt is actually retracing a path of weak electricity that the cloud sent down as a sort of "feeler" sensing for the shortest path to take to the ground. So if you're in an open space during a lightning storm, and you feel your hair stand up from static electricity, you might want to run for cover!
There are many types of lightning STREAMERS that start a lightning strike. There are 3 basic places where streamers will originate from. They can come from a cloud to the ground or the ground to a cloud or from cloud to cloud. So your teacher was correct. But not always from the ground.
Cloud-to-cloud lightning is commonly referred to as intracloud lightning because it occurs entirely within the same cloud without reaching the ground.
It's called in-cloud or cloud-to-cloud lightning.
It's called in-cloud or cloud-to-cloud lightning.
It's called in-cloud or cloud-to-cloud lightning.
It's called in-cloud or cloud-to-cloud lightning.
Sky lightning is more commonly known as a lightning bolt or simply lightning.
When lightning strikes within one cloud, it is called intra-cloud lightning. This type of lightning occurs when the electric charge within a cloud becomes unbalanced and discharges within the same cloud, rather than traveling to the ground or to another cloud.
Double ZapperYes. In fact, visible lightning usually comes up from the ground into the cloud! The lightning bolt is actually retracing a path of weak electricity that the cloud sent down as a sort of "feeler" sensing for the shortest path to take to the ground. So if you're in an open space during a lightning storm, and you feel your hair stand up from static electricity, you might want to run for cover!
The cloud sends down electrons to the ground and when it finds a substance lightning can travel through than a discharge travels up to the cloud, the lightning. If you stand on rubber lightning wont discharge.
Lightning is just really large static. Lightning between clouds is called cloud lightning or sheet lightning and is caused when one cloud has an excessive charge and another cloud has an excessive amount of the opposite cloud. The lightning is used to relieve the clouds charge.
There are many types of lightning STREAMERS that start a lightning strike. There are 3 basic places where streamers will originate from. They can come from a cloud to the ground or the ground to a cloud or from cloud to cloud. So your teacher was correct. But not always from the ground.
Lightning does not hit something every time it strikes. There are various forms of lightning. Lightning that is classified as "cloud to ground" lightning will strike something in it's path. Another form of lightning is sheet lightning. This type of lighting illuminates the sky and spreads from cloud to cloud.