[__ Science __ ] Lightning

[jasonc]

Actually, air is conductive to some degree because it is made up of atoms, which contain electrons. In fact, electricity can even travel across a vacuum even though a vacuum is about as close to a perfect insulator as we can get. The thing is, the ions can jump a vacuum if enough voltage is applied so the larger the space the more voltage that is needed.

I didn't deny that,I said if there is enough voltage ,anything will conduct.

Space ,a near vaccum,has eddy currents, the earth sits one, we can use one to reach Mars.

 

[JohnDB]

Okay, I do believe that I understand all that but since I don't know how slim of a chance it is for lightning to strike your house, does that mean that during a thunderstorm if nature should happen to call you're just supposed to hold it in? Furthermore what makes you say stay out of the bathroom?


The bathroom is probably the only room (except for maybe the kitchen) in my house that isn't wired unless you count the hairdryer after you plug it in.

Your plumbing (water lines) are a source for grounding the electrical system in your house...but sewer lines are not...so taking a shower or bath can put you in between the two...and you get to become a conductor between the two.

 

[JohnDB]

Depends on what you're comparing it to. The average lightning bolt contains up to about 1,000,000,000 (1 billion) volts and generates approximately 30,000 - 120,000 amperes of electric current. That's more than enough to do plenty of damage.

Of course lightning is much bigger than static electricity you might get from walking around the carpets in socks.
LOL...but lightning is static electricity on steroids.

 

[HeIsRisen2018]

Your plumbing (water lines) are a source for grounding the electrical system in your house...but sewer lines are not...so taking a shower or bath can put you in between the two...and you get to become a conductor between the two.

Really?? I thought that it was just an urban myth not to take a shower during a thunderstorm. And back when we lived in the country we had well water would that make a difference?

 

[JohnDB]

I didn't deny that,I said if there is enough voltage ,anything will conduct.

Space ,a near vaccum,has eddy currents, the earth sits one, we can use one to reach Mars.

Nope.
Electricity is electron movement.
Air has gasses. (Nitrogen mostly)
Where it is resistive it isn't as resistive as other materials or gasses.
Florescent lights work because of the gas inside the glass tubes helps create the arc.

Vacuums cannot conduct electricity because there aren't any electrons in a vacuum. Particles are necessary for current flow. And a vacuum by definition is absent of particles. A nebula is a collection of particles...but since it exists in a vacuum it really has a difficult time of doing anything even if photons passing through are refracted.
Your infamous black holes in in space are a collection of electrons. That's why all the sci-fi stories have switched to wormholes.

 

[JohnDB]

Really?? I thought that it was just an urban myth not to take a shower during a thunderstorm. And back when we lived in the country we had well water would that make a difference?

No. Your water lines are still ground.

 

[HeIsRisen2018]

No. Your water lines are still ground.

Idk, it seems to me that the Mythbusters already busted this theory, I will have to do some searching once I'm finished eating.

 

[jasonc]

Nope.
Electricity is electron movement.
Air has gasses. (Nitrogen mostly)
Where it is resistive it isn't as resistive as other materials or gasses.
Florescent lights work because of the gas inside the glass tubes helps create the arc.

Vacuums cannot conduct electricity because there aren't any electrons in a vacuum. Particles are necessary for current flow. And a vacuum by definition is absent of particles. A nebula is a collection of particles...but since it exists in a vacuum it really has a difficult time of doing anything even if photons passing through are refracted.
Your infamous black holes in in space are a collection of electrons. That's why all the sci-fi stories have switched to wormholes.

Space is not a perfect vaccum .

Bussard ram collection works we launched a probe to Pluto or Neptune using that to pull in icons for the ion drive
We maneuver Voyager using ion rockets which use the hall effect.

 

[jasonc]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_sail


That is what I meant.

 

[HeIsRisen2018]

Well I couldn't find the Mythbusters clip but I must say that I have to apologize it looks like JohnDB was partly right,.. however it also looks like your chances of being struck by lightning while showering are also relatively slim according to this video.

 

[WIP]

Well I couldn't find the Mythbusters clip but I must say that I have to apologize it looks like JohnDB was partly right,.. however it also looks like your chances of being struck by lightning while showering are also relatively slim according to this video.

This is from National Geographic.

The odds of becoming a lightning victim in the U.S. in any one year is 1 in 700,000. The odds of being struck in your lifetime is 1 in 3,000.

 

[JohnDB]

Well I couldn't find the Mythbusters clip but I must say that I have to apologize it looks like JohnDB was partly right,.. however it also looks like your chances of being struck by lightning while showering are also relatively slim according to this video.

That's if....and I should say IF your house is properly wired and grounded.

Older homes from the 50's may not be. They function...but not like a new home would. And the grounding and bonding requirements were vastly different than they are today.

Lightning can enter your home through telephone, cable television, television antanae, or power lines. If it really wants to hit the house itselt it will hit the gutters...but not always.

If your older house hasn't ever been hit.... probably won't be unless something structural outside changes (like new buildings or removed building or electric lines)
Empire State building, statue of liberty, and the chrystler building have all been struck repeatedly by lightning. And they all have serious lightning protection. All the radio towers have extra serious protection...but those blinking red lights have to be changed because of lightning regularly.
(Trust me, it's not fun)

So...if you haven't been hit... you probably won't be. But my wife is scared of it. But then again...if you are wanting a shower while in Brazil or some country like that... I'd wait for the storm to pass.

 

[HeIsRisen2018]

That's if....and I should say IF your house is properly wired and grounded.

Older homes from the 50's may not be. They function...but not like a new home would. And the grounding and bonding requirements were vastly different than they are today.

Lightning can enter your home through telephone, cable television, television antanae, or power lines. If it really wants to hit the house itselt it will hit the gutters...but not always.

If your older house hasn't ever been hit.... probably won't be unless something structural outside changes (like new buildings or removed building or electric lines)
Empire State building, statue of liberty, and the chrystler building have all been struck repeatedly by lightning. And they all have serious lightning protection. All the radio towers have extra serious protection...but those blinking red lights have to be changed because of lightning regularly.
(Trust me, it's not fun)

So...if you haven't been hit... you probably won't be. But my wife is scared of it. But then again...if you are wanting a shower while in Brazil or some country like that... I'd wait for the storm to pass.

Perfect, you hit the nail right on the head.

 

[jasonc]

I have seen a lightning strike and take out a few rods. Surge protection on homes isn't always installed by the grid.the one I worked for had it .

 

[Who Me]

Bussard ram collection works we launched a probe to Pluto or Neptune using that to pull in icons for the ion drive

This never happed for the simple reason we cannot create fussion.
Once the voyager probes were launched they relied on the initial thrust of the launch and any gravitational assistance they could get from the 'slingshott effect' of planets they past.