Does lightning strike from the sky down, or the ground up?
Asked by CHATURBHUJ PODDAR on 11 August 2011 7:57:38 AM   
   
   
Add to Favourite
Share
1 Answers

  1. On 11 August 2011 7:58:52 AM CHATURBHUJ PODDAR answered :

    The answer is both. Cloud-to-ground lightning comes from the sky down, but the part you see comes from the ground up. A typical cloud-to-ground flash lowers a path of negative electricity (that we cannot see) towards the ground in a series of steps. Objects on the ground generally have a positive charge. Since opposites attract, an upward streamer is sent out from the object about to be struck. When these two paths meet, a return stroke zips back up to the sky. It is the return stroke that produces the visible flash, but it all happens so fast - in about one-millionth of a second - so the human eye doesn't see the actual formation of the stroke.
    Comment for this AnswerComments (0)  Like this Answer (0)Dislike this Answer (0)   

Answer this Question

2000 characters left
Similar Question
  1. What is meant by 'normal adjustment' in case of an astronomical telescope?
    Asked by: CHATURBHUJ PODDAR   Asked on:
    Category:     Sub Category:    Answer Of this Question 1 Answer   
       
    Share
  2. A person needs to use glasses for driving.What is the defect in his vision?
    Asked by: CHATURBHUJ PODDAR   Asked on:
    Category:     Sub Category:    Answer Of this Question 2 Answers   
       
    Share
  3. What is the full form of the acronym BVF ?
    Asked by: CHATURBHUJ PODDAR   Asked on:
    Category:     Sub Category:    Answer Of this Question 1 Answer   
       
    Share
  4. Name two factors on which electrical conductivity of a pure semiconductor at a given temperature depends.
    Asked by: CHATURBHUJ PODDAR   Asked on:
    Category:     Sub Category:    Answer Of this Question 1 Answer   
       
    Share
  5. What is the full form of acronym CWDM generally used in physics?
    Asked by: CHATURBHUJ PODDAR   Asked on:
    Category:     Sub Category:    Answer Of this Question 1 Answer   
       
    Share
  6. Is work a scalar quantity or a vector quantity?
    Asked by: CHATURBHUJ PODDAR   Asked on:
    Category:     Sub Category:    Answer Of this Question 1 Answer   
       
    Share
  7. Why does hard water not lather soap profusely?
    Asked by: Kumar Abhishek   Asked on:
    Category:     Sub Category:    Answer Of this Question 1 Answer   
       
    Share
  8. What is the full form of the acronym FA ?
    Asked by: CHATURBHUJ PODDAR   Asked on:
    Category:     Sub Category:    Answer Of this Question 1 Answer   
       
    Share
  9. Arrange the following electromagnetic radiations in the ascending order of their wavelengths: radio waves, gamma-rays, ultraviolet light,microwaves.
    Asked by: CHATURBHUJ PODDAR   Asked on:
    Category:     Sub Category:    Answer Of this Question 1 Answer   
       
    Share
  10. If a number of bulbs of different watts are joined in parallel which bulb will glow in maximum brightness?
    Asked by: Guest   Asked on:
    Category:     Sub Category:    Answer Of this Question 0 Answer   
       
    Share
.