[__ Science __ ] Lightning

[HeIsRisen2018]

A little while ago I started a topic about thunder and now I have a scientific question that has to do with lightning. I was just wondering since there is currently a thunderstorm going on right now outside my house, just what exactly conducts electricity? I know that trees and metal do, but what else? I'm asking this question because a little while ago I was sitting out on my front porch (when it wasn't so cold outside) watching the storm and I had my tablet out there and I was wondering if devices attract electricity.

 

[KevinK]

I'm not an expert on this (and I think there are some on this forum that are), but I know that all substances can conduct electrical charges to some degree. There is no true "perfect insulator", but we tend to divide materials into conductors and non-conductors based on practical circumstances. When electricity travels through the air, as it does with lightning, the ionized air itself is the conductor.

So in answer to your question, yes your device is a conductor, and unfortunately so are you. There is certainly some level of risk if you sit outside in an electrical storm, as the built up charges look for the path of least resistance between the ground and the sky.

 

[HeIsRisen2018]

I'm not an expert on this (and I think there are some on this forum that are), but I know that all substances can conduct electrical charges to some degree. There is no true "perfect insulator", but we tend to divide materials into conductors and non-conductors based on practical circumstances. When electricity travels through the air, as it does with lightning, the ionized air itself is the conductor.

So in answer to your question, yes your device is a conductor, and unfortunately so are you. There is certainly some level of risk if you sit outside in an electrical storm, as the built up charges look for the path of least resistance between the ground and the sky.

Well I do believe that there is always a chance that you can get struck by lightning even if you aren't near any metal or trees, and maybe you're correct by saying that a tablet can conduct electricity, but wouldn't it be awful hard to reach underneath an overhang?

 

[KevinK]

wouldn't it be awful hard to reach underneath an overhang?

Well, I can't say specifically. Just note, lightning travels upward from the ground to the sky, not down from the sky to the ground as is commonly thought.

 

[HeIsRisen2018]

Well, I can't say specifically. Just note, lightning travels upward from the ground to the sky, not down from the sky to the ground as is commonly thought.

Yes that's true. That's something I keep forgetting though.

 

[HeIsRisen2018]

Although let me just point out for the record that lightning still starts from the clouds even though it travels upwards when it hits something.

 

[Michael74]

The big thing with lightening is that ground currents surround the spot where visible lightening is coming up from the earth. They can extend 60 feet from the spot. The electricity from ground currents can go up one leg, and down the other. Not fun.

Another factor is that there are usually a number of lesser currents flowing between the earth and the sky around the main one. You want to avoid these mini lightening strikes also.

Its best to stay indoors during lightening.

 

[HeIsRisen2018]

The big thing with lightening is that ground currents surround the spot where visible lightening is coming up from the earth. They can extend 60 feet from the spot. The electricity from ground currents can go up one leg, and down the other. Not fun.

Another factor is that there are usually a number of lesser currents flowing from the earth to the sky around the main one. You want to avoid these mini lightening strikes also.

Its best to stay indoors during lightening.

It's still really neat to watch though but I can definitely see your point.

 

[jasonc]

A little while ago I started a topic about thunder and now I have a scientific question that has to do with lightning. I was just wondering since there is currently a thunderstorm going on right now outside my house, just what exactly conducts electricity? I know that trees and metal do, but what else? I'm asking this question because a little while ago I was sitting out on my front porch (when it wasn't so cold outside) watching the storm and I had my tablet out there and I was wondering if devices attract electricity.

If there is enough volts to push anything .lightning travels through air which isnt conductive

 

[jasonc]

Although let me just point out for the record that lightning still starts from the clouds even though it travels upwards when it hits something.

Cloud to cloud,cloud to ground ,ground to cloud .

Seen them all ,

 

[KevinK]

Although let me just point out for the record that lightning still starts from the clouds even though it travels upwards when it hits something.

You are right, there is a leader that travels from the cloud to the ground, just before the main bolt that shoots upward in most lightning strikes.

 

[Barbarian]

I'm not an expert on this (and I think there are some on this forum that are), but I know that all substances can conduct electrical charges to some degree.

Yep. The atmosphere, being made of gases, can conduct electricity if the air is ionized. So the charge builds up until it ionizes a path to the ground, and then it goes. It's like the spark that jumps from your finger to the doorknob when it's cold and dry in the winter.

Huge voltage (but low amperage) and ionized gases allow the spark to go from hand to doorknob.

 

[KevinK]

Wealth of knowledge you are, Barbarian.

 

[jasonc]

Lightning only appears when their is a cummilonimbus cloud around ,the same one that creates rain,tornadoes and are in hurricanes. I live near the lightning capital of the world

 

[JohnDB]

Static electricity is usually super high voltage but low amperage. Which is what lightning is.

Live trees conduct lighting because of the sap.
Lightning protection provides a half sphere from the top most point to the ground. It's supposed to hide the things under it from the discharge. But it's location usually attracts it anyway due to the wind currents the heavily electron laden air contains. So the wires will conduct the lightning safely to the ground or resistors that will wear it out.

An electric pole line will act like a lightning magnet...so there's usually a ground line on top of the current carrying lines...but not always. But the power lines will actually protect you from a blast...if the pole survives and the power lines don't fall on you.

Transmission lines for power are usually close in voltage to lightning...so they don't have to worry about damage from lightning. Distribution lines are not close...they usually get damage from trees falling on the lines during a storm.

I've seen lightning chase golfers into the old clubhouse and then the clubhouse got hit... barely missing people inside. (Minor damage from the strike) the clubhouse wasn't properly grounded. People just thought it was.

Follow the rules with lightning. Basements are great for tornadoes but exactly the location lightning goes if it strikes your house... don't be there. Nor the bathroom. Electricity follows ALL paths to ground, not just the one with the least resistance.

 

[HeIsRisen2018]

Static electricity is usually super high voltage but low amperage. Which is what lightning is.

Live trees conduct lighting because of the sap.
Lightning protection provides a half sphere from the top most point to the ground. It's supposed to hide the things under it from the discharge. But it's location usually attracts it anyway due to the wind currents the heavily electron laden air contains. So the wires will conduct the lightning safely to the ground or resistors that will wear it out.

An electric pole line will act like a lightning magnet...so there's usually a ground line on top of the current carrying lines...but not always. But the power lines will actually protect you from a blast...if the pole survives and the power lines don't fall on you.

Transmission lines for power are usually close in voltage to lightning...so they don't have to worry about damage from lightning. Distribution lines are not close...they usually get damage from trees falling on the lines during a storm.

I've seen lightning chase golfers into the old clubhouse and then the clubhouse got hit... barely missing people inside. (Minor damage from the strike) the clubhouse wasn't properly grounded. People just thought it was.

Follow the rules with lightning. Basements are great for tornadoes but exactly the location lightning goes if it strikes your house... don't be there. Nor the bathroom. Electricity follows ALL paths to ground, not just the one with the least resistance.

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.

 

[jasonc]

Install lightning rods

 

[WIP]

Well, I can't say specifically. Just note, lightning travels upward from the ground to the sky, not down from the sky to the ground as is commonly thought.

Not necessarily. It depends on the ionic charges involved. If the atmosphere has a charge that is positive relative to the ground, then the lightning will travel from the ground toward the more positive. However, if the ionic charge in the atmosphere is more negative relative to the ground, the lightning will travel from the more negatively charged area to the ground.

 

[WIP]

Static electricity is usually super high voltage but low amperage. Which is what lightning is.

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.

 

[WIP]

If there is enough volts to push anything .lightning travels through air which isnt conductive

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.