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Why doesn’t lightning travel in a straight line?

Merlin Ankunding ∙

Lvl 10

∙ 2020-02-05 15:56:22

Verified answer

So it’s kind of a complicated process, but here’s the two-sentence version: Lightning is an electric current that takes the path of least resistance from the base of a cloud to the ground. Since the air it travels through is not uniform—variations in things like temperature, humidity, and pollutants determine how resistant air is to the charge—the lightning has to zig and zag to stay on that path.

Mia Herzog ∙

Lvl 10

∙ 2020-02-05 16:01:51

This answer is:

Chloe Shelton ∙

Lvl 1

∙ 2021-05-17 19:14:10

Did you know all that information or did you already now it?

Harper Eagleman ∙

Lvl 1

∙ 2021-05-24 17:48:33

Yeah

Skylar Hamilton will ∙

Lvl 1

∙ 2021-05-26 22:48:57

i thought it was because of the gertule between thunder and air

Jannelle Dante ∙

Lvl 1

∙ 2021-06-02 14:52:33

because air is not a perfect mixture. There are fluctuations in temperature, humidity, pollutants, dust particles, etc. in the air, and so the resistance varies.

Therese Herrick ∙

Lvl 1

∙ 2021-06-02 20:19:26

Great Answer

Isabel RM ∙

Lvl 1

∙ 2021-06-10 15:35:01

tgyuk

Anonymous _Lexii ∙

Lvl 1

∙ 2021-06-16 13:25:18

Because the light gets blocked. If the light could have the ability to take a curve and travel, we could have seen the lightwave.

mice pigs ∙

Lvl 1

∙ 2021-06-17 14:29:44

lord log commanded it to travil like a wavey wee

Nathaniel Gillam ∙

Lvl 1

∙ 2021-07-02 03:04:19

she looked it up on google

mic WolfAardt ∙

Lvl 1

∙ 2021-07-03 20:26:22

a short answer; there are variant electrical charges in the atmosphere and lightening, being a negative electrical charge, goes wherever it is 'attracted' to; I've seen 'flash' lightening on the Highveldt, while the Cape Peninsula has 'forked' lightening

i thought i needed 2... ∙

Lvl 1

∙ 2021-07-05 11:11:24

avoided?

Nelson Chuan ∙

Lvl 1

∙ 2021-07-09 08:13:59

What an joke.I looked in google but it is different i am giving it in my whatver answer box

Nelson Chuan ∙

Lvl 1

∙ 2021-07-09 08:17:30

nvm is in google

Andrew Magrisso ∙

Lvl 1

∙ 2021-07-19 20:42:44

Most of these answers minus the "tries to find ground."

Andrew Magrisso ∙

Lvl 1

∙ 2021-07-19 20:42:44

Most of these answers minus the "tries to find ground."

Sean Tinsley ∙

Lvl 1

∙ 2021-12-07 18:34:10

sup

Sean Tinsley ∙

Lvl 1

∙ 2021-12-07 18:34:18

same

Sean Tinsley ∙

Lvl 1

∙ 2021-12-07 18:34:23

im in college

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More answers

kinsler33 ∙

Lvl 2

∙ 2021-05-18 04:40:00

One way to understand it is to look at a crack in the sidewalk (or perhaps a cracker) and compare that shape to the path of a lightning stroke through the sky. Lightning usually originates at altitudes of around ten miles, and can reach about that far horizontally. Air does not conduct electricity until it is broken down ('ionized') by a high voltage electric field. This breakdown is a random, unpredictable process that proceeds in a series of steps between the sky and the earth.

This answer is:

Derrick Reichert ∙

Lvl 1

∙ 2021-05-19 18:04:54

great answer thxxx!

Christelle Borer ∙

Lvl 1

∙ 2021-05-19 20:05:50

thanks!!

David Jackson ∙

Lvl 1

∙ 2021-05-22 05:32:53

WHY IS THERE A CRACKER IN THE SIDEWALK? Is he drunk? Could he be having an epilepsy event? Please, someone call Dr. Graham immediately!

Isabela Helmick ∙

Lvl 1

∙ 2021-06-03 13:25:18

lol

ASRITA KUMAR ∙

Lvl 4

∙ 2021-06-09 11:01:18

Lightning basically tries to find the path of least resistance as it travels down to the ground. But this is not always a straight line because air is not a perfect mixture. There are fluctuations in temperature, humidity, pollutants, dust particles, etc. in the air, and so the resistance varies. The path it chooses doesn’t have to be a straight line (remember, a straight line means ‘the least distance’ and not ‘the least resistance’). In fact, you will never see a straight bolt of lightning, at least not in the real world. Does Lightning Travel Up or Down?

This answer is:

Dawson Levesque ∙

Lvl 2

∙ 2020-02-12 15:49:26

lightning is basically tries to find a path with least resistance as it travels down to the ground

This answer is:

Isabela Helmick ∙

Lvl 1

∙ 2021-06-03 13:25:57

simple version :]

Nelson Chuan ∙

Lvl 3

∙ 2021-07-09 08:15:17

Air is actually not a good conductor and hence when lightning strikes, it will try to take a path through ions or water droplets in the air. Hence, lightning doesn't strike straight down as ions and water molecules don't line up in a straight line in the air.

This answer is:

Nelson Chuan ∙

Lvl 1

∙ 2021-07-09 08:16:05

From google to you~

[C2023] MUKESH SEVUK... ∙

Lvl 5

∙ 2021-07-07 09:09:15

This answer is:

Clemmie Schiller ∙

Lvl 1

∙ 2021-07-10 05:05:41

Can you explain how you know

Chea phanakphu ∙

Lvl 5

∙ 2021-06-23 07:12:41

This answer is:

Nasir Nader ∙

Lvl 1

∙ 2021-06-25 19:05:44

thank youuu

kwalabapuzo ∙

Lvl 7

∙ 2021-06-01 20:45:17

Lighting is an electric current. It's a flow of electrons that's about a thousand times stronger than the current in our houses.

Lightning basically tries to find the path of least resistance as it travels down to the ground.

But this is not always a straight line because air is not a perfect mixture.

There are fluctuations in temperature, humidity, pollutants, dust particles, etc. in the air, and so the resistance varies.

As a result, lightning strikes are often observed in a zigzag pattern.

This answer is:

Mylene Wintheiser ∙

Lvl 1

∙ 2021-06-03 10:05:21

Can you explain that answer?

Isabela Helmick ∙

Lvl 1

∙ 2021-06-03 13:27:04

lol

Anya Kub ∙

Lvl 1

∙ 2021-06-03 17:05:43

tyyy

mckenna lien ∙

Lvl 1

∙ 2021-06-10 02:56:50

that's true

Lily Bai ∙

Lvl 5

∙ 2021-06-12 06:12:08

This answer is:

Still have questions?

Continue Learning about Earth Science

Why are lightning bolts jagged and uneven rather than straight?

Static electricity doesn't travel in a straight line because it isn't always the quickest way down (or up as the case may be). Moisture can block the lightning bolt, and cause it to go slower. Therefore it finds the driest places to get through and reaches the ground quicker.