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Lightning is an electric current. Within a thundercloud way up in the sky, many small bits of ice (frozen raindrops) bump into each other as they move around in the air. All of those collisions create an electric charge. After a while, the whole cloud fills up with electrical charges. The positive charges or protons form at the top of the cloud and the negative charges or electrons form at the bottom of the cloud. Since opposites attract, that causes a positive charge to build up on the ground beneath the cloud. The grounds electrical charge concentrates around anything that sticks up, such as mountains, people, or single trees. The charge coming up from these points eventually connects with a charge reaching down from the clouds and hit the highest point. There isn't any lightning that originates from the ground.

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What thunder is created by?

When a bolt of lightning discharges, it heats the air around it to a temperature of several thousand degrees. This causes the air to suddenly expand, creating a partial vacuum around the bolt's path. When the air rushes back into the vacuum, it creates a loud clap. The sound echoing off the clouds and ground is what we call thunder. That is why you only hear a bang when lightning strikes nearby. All of the sound is traveling away from you. When it is at a distance, you hear the rolling echoes.


Which is stronger lighting or thunder?

Thunder is the sound that lightning makes when it strikes so it isn't possible to answer this question. Lightning is a reaction to rising heat from the earth's surface combining with cold air in the clouds. This creates a negatively charged bolt of electricity which streaks through the clouds, and around 20% of this electricity will "attack" a positively charged item, usually on the ground. Since lightning is faster than the speed of sound, it breaks the sound barrier making a sound we call thunder.


What causes lightning during a thunder storm?

Lightning storms are created in humid weather conditions because the static electricity cannot dissipate and builds up in the air until it is finally released in the form of lightning.Lightning is produced in thunderstorms when liquid and ice particles above the freezing level collide, and build up large separated electrical fields in the clouds. Once these electric fields become powerful enough to overcome the resistance of the air, a giant "spark" occurs between them (as with static electricity) reducing the charge separation. The lightning spark, or bolt, can occur between clouds, between a cloud and the air, or (more importantly) between a cloud and the ground.


Do people who have been struck by lightning carry an electrical charge and can they be touched?

People who have been struck by Lightning does not carry a residual charge. Lightning goes straight through the body and into the ground. There would be no electrical charge left and they would be safe to touch.


Does lightning make any noise?

No. The visual portion of the energy wave that we see as lightning it's self does not make noise, however this energy wave also displaces air. The air that is displaced by the negative and positive ion charge (that bolt we see) is often heard as a loud "crack" and the air that moves fast enough creates a sonic boom which we hear as thunder.

Related Questions

What do you call Lightning that appears as a single long line?

A lightning bolt A lightning leader A lightning strike A lightning stroke


Why did Rick Riordon call his book The Lightning Thief?

because Zeus thought that Percy Jackson stole his lightning bolt.


What logo has a silver lightning bolt?

Many companies incorporate a lightning bolt in their logo. They vary from a surf board company called Lightning Bolt to electric companies, Good Seal Plastic Tape etc. It's a pretty standard symbol.


What thunder is created by?

When a bolt of lightning discharges, it heats the air around it to a temperature of several thousand degrees. This causes the air to suddenly expand, creating a partial vacuum around the bolt's path. When the air rushes back into the vacuum, it creates a loud clap. The sound echoing off the clouds and ground is what we call thunder. That is why you only hear a bang when lightning strikes nearby. All of the sound is traveling away from you. When it is at a distance, you hear the rolling echoes.


Does lightning start in the ground?

Electricity is the transfer of electrons between molecules; for example, a battery sends these tiny particles from its negative end to its positive end. If an electrical current does not have a sufficient "load," or job to perform, along its path then it short-circuits and makes a popping noise accompanied by intense heat (which was the electrical energy that went unused and had to be disposed of somehow). The earth and its atmosphere are essentially a gigantic battery; when a path is formed in the air which can carry a current, the battery shorts and we call the resulting flash lightning.To answer the original question, however, it typically starts in a cloud, but 5-10% of lightning strikes start in the ground. It should also be noted that the above explanation is somewhat oversimplified. For more details, see the related links.No, lightning can not start from the ground, it forms inbetween or in a cloud and starts coming down when its closer to the ground there is a charge that causes it to also start coming up from the ground to meet the first part, the part coming up from the ground comes much slower though. If there is a flicker that is just the upward stroke repeating the process.


Which is stronger lighting or thunder?

Thunder is the sound that lightning makes when it strikes so it isn't possible to answer this question. Lightning is a reaction to rising heat from the earth's surface combining with cold air in the clouds. This creates a negatively charged bolt of electricity which streaks through the clouds, and around 20% of this electricity will "attack" a positively charged item, usually on the ground. Since lightning is faster than the speed of sound, it breaks the sound barrier making a sound we call thunder.


What do you call a bolt for a girder?

A "girder bolt"!


What is the call to adventure for Percy?

In the novel "Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief" by Rick Riordan, the call to adventure for Percy Jackson is when he discovers that he is a demigod, the son of Poseidon, and is accused of stealing Zeus' lightning bolt. This sets him on a quest to clear his name and prevent a war among the gods. The call to adventure propels Percy into a world of Greek mythology and challenges him to embrace his destiny as a hero.


Does lightning shake the earth?

No. Lightning produces a shockwave in the air, which we call thunder.


What do you call lightning in Hindi?

Bijlee


What do you call a discharge of electricity in the atmosphere?

It is called lightning.


Where is a phone call from 0000003019 coming from?

where is this call coming from? 528681068886