What causes lightning 14 Articles

by Bill Edwards

Nature's Fireworks Early Greeks believed that lightning was used as a weapon by their chief god, Zeus. Since lightning was sent from the g...read more

by Ian Loft

Lightning is a natural phenomenon that is as lethal as it is an incredibly beautiful display of nature at work. Dazzling in a brilliant show of light and random patterns yet deceptively dangerous as a source of power and ...read more

by A. South

Intricate flashes of light shatter the darkness with their beauty, as well as potential danger. Lightning is one of nature's most beautiful sky shows, but has proven itself to be one of the most dangerous. Unfortunately,...read more

by Sunil Konda

A lightning flash can happen in half a second. In that instant, the lightning flash superheats the surrounding air to a temperature five times hotter than that on the surface of the sun. Nearby air expands and vibrates, fo...read more

by Aldo Bonincontro

HISTORIC INTRODUCTION Lightnings have always caused fear and worry among humans who feared to be hit by one of these powerful fluxes of energy that seem to crack the whole sky. These natural phenomena appeared as insta...read more

by Lauren Beyenhof

In 1792, Benjamin Franklin experienced first-hand the properties of lighting in his infamous kite experiment. In the 200+ years since, we have learned a lot about lighting: its formation, appearance, and of course, its dan...read more

by gemini girl

Lightning strikes are generated from negative charged particles being dragged down through the atmosphere by falling rain or cold air masses. These negative charges change directions as they get closer to the ground b/c th...read more

by Ann Marie Dwyer

Lightning is a surge of electrical current from an object on the ground to a leader in the sky. Here is how it works: The bottoms of clouds carry negative charges (called plasma) from the friction of the molecules insi...read more

by Krystle Hernandez

Thunderstorms often include lightning, which is a direct result of liquid and ice particles colliding. Collisions build up massive amounts of energy and often form vast electrical fields in the skies above us. Therefore,...read more

by Minh Tran

In the past, man used myths to explain lightning as well as other natural phenomena. Lightning has been said to caused by Zeus, by Thor and other gods depending on the culture the myth comes from. In the present, science p...read more

by Katie Wilson

Lightning is produced in thunderstorms when liquid and ice particles above the freezing level collide, and build up large electrical fields in the clouds. Once these electric fields become large enough, a giant "spark" occ...read more

by Richard Serra

When liquid and ice particles in the upper atmosphere collide, they build up electrical fields in the clouds. When large enough a huge "spark" occurs just like static electricity. You produce the same when you walk around...read more

by Achilles Windsor

Lightning, as we all know is formed in thunderclouds. How it is formed is a conflict between two theories. You have the more accepted Polarization mechanism theory and you have the Electrostatic induction theory. H...read more

by Wayne Mclaughlin

Lightening results when air masses of different temperatures collide. When a cold front moves through, warm, moisture laden air (warm air can hold more moisture than cold air) is suddenly displaced upward by the heavier, c...read more