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In a cloud, particularly during a thunderstorm, the buildup of negative charges occurs primarily at the base of the cloud due to the movement of water droplets and ice particles. This negative charge creates an electric field that polarizes the ground beneath the cloud, inducing a positive charge in the ground. The repulsion of negative charges in the ground and the attraction of positive charges towards the cloud results in a downward pull on the negative charges in the ground, which can lead to a discharge in the form of lightning.

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1d ago

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When lightning strikes in a cloud push down on the negative charges in the g round?

When lightning strikes in a cloud, it creates a path of ionized air, allowing the negative charges in the cloud to flow to the positively charged ground. This discharge of electricity neutralizes the charge separation between the cloud and the ground, resulting in the visible lightning strike and thunder.


Is lighting ground to sky or from sky to ground?

There is much confusion over the "up" or "down" motion of lightning bolts, but in most cases it is initiated by the flow of negative ions in clouds to a positively charged point at another point (cloud or ground). What is referred to as "lightning" is a luminous path of superheated air caused by repeated current flows from the ground and the air. In certain cloud types, the interaction of ice and water (and possibly the Earth's magnetic field) creates a surplus of negatively charged particles, usually near the bottom of the cloud. Where the ground and objects below have accumulated positive charges, an electric discharge can occur. This is preceded by "step leaders" moving down from the clouds and "positive leaders" moving up from the ground. Where these streams come in contact, the negative ions flow to the ground, followed by a return flow of positive ions. This can occur multiple times in the same lightning strike.


Where in the atmosphere does lightning occur?

Negative charge accumulates on the bottom of a cumulonimbus cloud and becomes attracted to the positive charge of the ground. When it overcomes air resistance, the charges shoot down. The lightning that you see is when the positive charge shoots back up into the cloud.


Does lighting form with positive or negative charges?

The lighting is always a negative charge, but it can flow both from the clouds and down, as well as from the ground and up.


Does lightning start from the ground and go up or start from the clouds and go down?

There are three types of lightening, There is Ground-to-cloud, Cloud-to-ground and cloud-to-cloud.


Is lightning positive or negative?

the charge of a lightning is positive and negative. The positive is on the top of a lightning cloud and the negative is surrounded on the bottom. As it flashes down it is a negative. However, the ground is a positive charge so as it reaches down, it turns into a positive charge. I hope this will answer you question


What do you call a lightning bolt coming from the ground?

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.


How does lightning from a cloud?

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 :DIn 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.


What is charge of lightning?

the charge of a lightning is positive and negative. The positive is on the top of a lightning cloud and the negative is surrounded on the bottom. As it flashes down it is a negative. However, the ground is a positive charge so as it reaches down, it turns into a positive charge. I hope this will answer you question


How does thunder and lightning work?

Lightning is a discharge of electrical energy that builds up within a storm. The charges develop because a storm causes air to move around which rubs against itself to generate electrical charges. Eventually the charge increases to a point where the electricity can flow through the air. Once an electric discharge starts it provides a better path for more electrical flow than normal air due to ionization which results in a sudden, large and fast discharge (i.e. a lightning bolt).Negative charges at the bottom of the clouds repel the negative charges on the surface of the earth. This leaves the surface of the earth positive (the electrons on the ground migrate to get further away from the other electrons in the cloud). From there, the negative electrons from the cloud attract the positive electrons on the ground, which pulls electrons from the air. This usually occurs at a high point on the ground.Answer:When you have a thunderstorm that forms from convection and differences in temperature across a frontal boundary, you start to get differing charges building up between the cloud base and the ground. When the difference in charge gets great enough between the cloud base and the ground, the air becomes a conductor instead of being an insulator and a negatively charged stepped leader comes down from the cloud base and meets a positively charged return stroke from the ground. When this happens, we see visible lightning and positive charge is carried up into the cloud base, while negative charge is carried down into the ground, essentially it is a transfer of both of the charges involved in the electrical discharge. This lightning strike is called a negative strike because the stepped leader is negatively charged. There is also something called a positive lightning strike, where enough differing charge builds up between the top of the cumulonimbus cloud and the ground and the same transfer of positive and negative charges happens, but the stepped leader from the top of the cloud in this case is positively charged and the return stroke from the ground is negatively charged. Initially the top of the cloud is positively charged, the cloud base is negatively charged, and the ground is positively charged. Positive strikes are possible after several negative strikes between the cloud base and the ground have happened. Lastly, lightning strikes can go out a maximum of 10 miles ahead and behind the storm, so remember just the because it looks like the storm has passed, doesn't mean the threat of lightning doesn't exist. This is a more complete answer to your question. If you have any questions about the concepts that I presented in my answer, feel free to drop me a message on my message board.When you have a thunderstorm that forms from convection and differences in temperature across a frontal boundary, you start to get differing charges building up between the cloud base and the ground. When the difference in charge gets great enough between the cloud base and the ground, the air becomes a conductor instead of being an insulator and a negatively charged stepped leader comes down from the cloud base and meets a positively charged return stroke from the ground. When this happens, we see visible lightning and positive charge is carried up into the cloud base, while negative charge is carried down into the ground, essentially it is a transfer of both of the charges involved in the electrical discharge. This lightning strike is called a negative strike because the stepped leader is negatively charged. There is also something called a positive lightning strike, where enough differing charge builds up between the top of the cumulonimbus cloud and the ground and the same transfer of positive and negative charges happens, but the stepped leader from the top of the cloud in this case is positively charged and the return stroke from the ground is negatively charged. Initially the top of the cloud is positively charged, the cloud base is negatively charged, and the ground is positively charged. Positive strikes are possible after several negative strikes between the cloud base and the ground have happened. Lastly, lightning strikes can go out a maximum of 10 miles ahead and behind the storm, so remember just the because it looks like the storm has passed, doesn't mean the threat of lightning doesn't exist. This is a more complete answer to your question. If you have any questions about the concepts that I presented in my answer, feel free to drop me a message on my message board.


What is a shape coming down from a large cloud that is shaped like a funnel cloud?

Most likely it is a funnel cloud. If it touches the ground then it is a tornado.


What is the difference between a funnel cloud and tornado?

A funnel cloud is a rotating column of air that does not reach the ground, while a tornado is a funnel cloud that extends to the ground and causes damage. Both are formed from the same weather conditions and can be associated with severe thunderstorms.