Wiktor Wise
Lightning is a natural phenomenon that occurs when there is a rapid discharge of electricity in the atmosphere between two electrically charged regions. One of these regions is within the atmosphere, and the other is sometimes on the ground. Lightning involves a near-instantaneous release of energy, with temperatures reaching approximately 30,000°C and the emission of electromagnetic radiation, some of which is visible as a bright flash. This rapid release of energy is what we know as a lightning strike, and it can occur in different ways, including cloud-to-ground and cloud-to-cloud. The direction of electricity flow in lightning depends on the charges involved, with negative charges in the cloud attracting positive charges from the ground and vice versa. This results in either positive or negative lightning strikes, each with its unique characteristics and effects.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Direction of Electricity Flow | From the cloud to the ground |
| Lightning Type | Positive lightning, Negative lightning |
| Lightning Formation | In the upper levels of a storm or the cirrus anvil/upper parts of a thunderstorm |
| Lightning Composition | One stroke (positive lightning), Two or more strokes (negative lightning) |
| Lightning Frequency | Positive lightning: Less than 5% of all strikes, Negative lightning: More common |
| Lightning Voltage | 100 million to 1 billion volts |
| Lightning Wattage | Billions of watts |
| Lightning Energy | 200 megajoules to 7 gigajoules |
| Lightning Temperature | 30,000°C |
| Lightning Colour | Bright flash of light |
| Lightning Sound | Thunder |
| Lightning Speed | One-third of the speed of light |
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What You'll Learn
- Positive lightning makes up less than 5% of strikes but is more dangerous
- Negative lightning is more common and originates in the negatively charged region under a storm
- Positive lightning has a greater peak charge, longer flash duration, and stronger electric fields
- Negative lightning typically consists of two or more strokes, while positive lightning is usually one stroke
- Lightning is a giant spark of electricity between clouds, the air, or the ground
Positive lightning makes up less than 5% of strikes but is more dangerous
Lightning is a natural phenomenon consisting of electrostatic discharges occurring through the atmosphere between two electrically charged regions. One region is in the atmosphere, and the other is sometimes on the ground. Lightning occurs when a conductive channel bridges the air gap between the negative charge excess in the cloud and the positive surface charge excess below. This results in a large drop in resistance across the lightning channel, causing electrons to accelerate rapidly. This is known as the "return stroke", and it is the most luminous and noticeable part of the lightning discharge.
The return stroke of a typical negative lightning strike can average 30 kiloamperes, while positive lightning strikes can carry up to 300,000 amperes. This is because positive lightning originates in the upper levels of a storm, so it has a greater amount of air to burn through to reach the ground, resulting in a stronger electric field. Positive lightning strikes are also longer in duration and can have a peak charge and potential up to ten times greater than negative lightning strikes.
Positive lightning strikes make up less than 5% of all lightning strikes. Despite their lower rate of occurrence, they are considered more dangerous. Positive lightning strikes are believed to be responsible for a large percentage of forest fires and power line damage. They can occur more than 25 miles away from precipitation and can be the dominant type of cloud-to-ground lightning during the winter months and in the dissipating stage of a thunderstorm.
The greater strength and duration of positive lightning strikes, combined with their potential to strike at a greater distance, contribute to their increased danger compared to negative lightning strikes, which occur more frequently but with less intensity.
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Negative lightning is more common and originates in the negatively charged region under a storm
Lightning is a natural phenomenon consisting of electrostatic discharges through the atmosphere between two electrically charged regions. One region is in the atmosphere, and the other is sometimes on the ground. Lightning occurs when a conductive channel bridges the air gap between the negative charge excess in the cloud and the positive surface charge excess below. This results in a large drop in resistance across the lightning channel, and electrons accelerate rapidly, creating what is known as a "return stroke". This is the most luminous and noticeable part of the lightning discharge.
Not all lightning forms in the negatively charged region under a storm. However, negative lightning is more common, making up more than 95% of all strikes. This is because the main charging area in a thunderstorm occurs in the central part of the storm, where the combination of temperature and rapid upward air movement produces a mixture of super-cooled cloud droplets, small ice crystals, and soft hail (graupel). The graupel, which is larger and denser, falls or is suspended in the middle of the thunderstorm cloud, resulting in the middle to the lower part of the cloud becoming negatively charged.
The upward motions within the storm cause the positive charge in the upper part of the cloud to spread out horizontally. This part of the cloud is called the anvil, and it can extend far from the thunderstorm base. While the anvil has a positive charge, the area directly underneath it becomes negatively charged. This negatively charged region under the thunderstorm base is where negative lightning originates.
Negative lightning occurs when there is a transfer of negative charge from the cloud to the ground. It typically consists of two or more strokes, with the electric current rising quickly to its peak value and then decaying more slowly. Negative lightning is less dangerous than positive lightning, which originates in the upper levels of a storm and has a much stronger electric field.
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Positive lightning has a greater peak charge, longer flash duration, and stronger electric fields
Lightning is a natural phenomenon involving the transfer of electric charge between two regions with opposite polarity. This occurs within the atmosphere, or between the atmosphere and the ground. The direction of the electric current determines whether lightning is positive or negative. In a typical negative lightning strike, or "negative CG lightning", electrons flow downwards from the negatively charged region in the cloud to the ground. This type of lightning is the most common, constituting over 95% of all lightning strikes.
However, in positive lightning strikes, the flow of electrons is reversed. Electrons travel upward from the ground to the cloud, while a positive charge is transferred from the cloud to the ground. This type of lightning is less common, but it exhibits distinctive characteristics that set it apart from its negative counterpart.
The higher intensity of positive lightning makes it more dangerous and capable of causing greater damage. It has been linked to a large percentage of forest fires and power line damage. Positive lightning strikes are also more likely to occur during the winter months and in the dissipating stage of a thunderstorm. Additionally, they tend to be composed of a single stroke, while negative lightning typically consists of two or more strokes.
The unique properties of positive lightning highlight the complexity and variability of lightning phenomena. Despite their rarity, the strength and impact of positive lightning strikes cannot be overlooked, especially considering their potential for causing fires and infrastructure damage.
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Negative lightning typically consists of two or more strokes, while positive lightning is usually one stroke
Lightning is a natural phenomenon consisting of electrostatic discharges occurring through the atmosphere between two electrically charged regions. One region is in the atmosphere, and the other is on the ground. Lightning occurs when a conductive channel bridges the air gap between the negative charge excess in the cloud and the positive surface charge excess below.
There are two types of lightning: positive and negative. Negative lightning occurs when there is a transfer of negative charge from the cloud to the ground. This type of lightning typically consists of two or more strokes. The electric current within a typical negative lightning discharge rises very quickly to its peak value in 1–10 microseconds, then decays more slowly over 50–200 microseconds. The return stroke is the most luminous and noticeable part of the lightning discharge. It occurs when electrons accelerate rapidly in a zone beginning at the point of attachment, which expands across the entire leader network at up to one-third of the speed of light. A typical negative lightning flash consists of 3 or 4 individual strokes, though there may be as many as 30.
Positive lightning, on the other hand, makes up less than 5% of all strikes. It originates in the upper levels of a storm, near the top of the thunderstorm, where a high positive charge resides. This type of lightning typically consists of a single stroke. Because it originates in the upper levels of a storm, the amount of air it must burn through to reach the ground is usually much greater. As a result, electric fields associated with positive lightning strikes are typically much stronger than those associated with negative strikes. Positive lightning is also believed to be responsible for a large percentage of forest fires and power line damage. It is the dominant type of cloud-to-ground lightning during the winter months and in the dissipating stage of a thunderstorm.
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Lightning is a giant spark of electricity between clouds, the air, or the ground
Lightning is a giant spark of electricity in the atmosphere between clouds, the air, or the ground. It is a natural phenomenon consisting of electrostatic discharges between two electrically charged regions. One of these regions is within the atmosphere, and the other is sometimes on the ground.
Lightning occurs when the air's insulating capacity breaks down due to the buildup of opposite charges in the atmosphere. This results in a rapid discharge of electricity, with temperatures reaching approximately 30,000°C to 50,000°F, causing the air to expand explosively and producing a shock wave that we perceive as thunder.
The process of lightning formation is complex and involves the interaction of positive and negative charges within clouds and between clouds and the ground. In the early stages of a thunderstorm, air acts as an insulator between positive and negative charges in the cloud and between the cloud and the ground. As the opposite charges accumulate, the air's insulation breaks down, leading to a rapid release of electricity known as lightning.
Lightning can occur within a cloud (intra-cloud lightning) or between a cloud and the ground (cloud-to-ground lightning). Most lightning flashes produced by storms start inside the cloud, and if they are going to strike the ground, a channel develops downward. When it gets close to the ground, objects like trees and buildings can send up sparks to meet it. When one of these sparks connects with the downward-developing channel, a massive electric current surges down the channel to the object that produced the spark.
There are two types of lightning strikes: positive and negative. Negative lightning is the more common type, characterized by the transfer of negative charges from the cloud to the ground. Positive lightning, on the other hand, originates in the upper parts of a storm, near the top of the thunderstorm, where a high positive charge resides. Positive lightning makes up less than 5% of all strikes but is considered more dangerous due to its stronger electric current, longer flash duration, and greater peak charge.
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Frequently asked questions
Lightning is a natural phenomenon consisting of electrostatic discharges occurring through the atmosphere between two electrically charged regions. One or both regions are within the atmosphere, with the second region sometimes occurring on the ground.
Lightning that forms in the upper parts of a thunderstorm carries a positive charge and is known as "positive lightning". Negative lightning, on the other hand, forms in the negatively charged region under the thunderstorm base and carries a negative charge.
Electricity flows in both directions in lightning. In cloud-to-ground lightning, the lightning comes from the sky downwards, but the part we see comes from the ground upwards.
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