What the lightning hits and she comes

We often say on our website about the weather, hurricanes, thunderstorms, and other weather events that can be interesting from the point of view of science and may harm the economic activities of the person or his life and health. Very often, these phenomena contribute to the appearance in the atmosphere of lightning. It is also very interesting and not fully understood phenomenon that occurs because of the appearance in the air charged particles. In fact it is something like a static discharge from wool sweaters, only the larger scales. However, in the formation of lightning, it should have many factors, which we now discuss. Moreover, . Now we have to deal with the nature of the appearance of “arrows of Zeus”.

What is lightning?

According to science, we can say that lightning is a spark discharge occurring in the atmosphere. The main manifestations can be called a bright flash of light and a loud sound which is called thunder. In addition to Land, can be found on other planets, e.g. Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and others where there is some gaseous medium.

During a lightning strike releases an enormous amount of energy. As a result of its temperature is several times the surface temperature of the Sun. The current in the lightning discharge on the Ground of up to 500 amperes, and the voltage reaches several million volts.

Just because a large amount of energy, lightning rarely lasts longer than a fraction of a second. Generally, the value reaches a quarter of a second, (0,25), but there are exceptions. So, the longest recorded lightning on the mark by almost eight seconds (7,74).

Such a beauty and almost eight seconds.

The Definition of the lightning according to the dictionary Ozhegova:
LIGHTNING, -, W. 1. The instant spark category in air of the accumulated atmospheric electricity. Is linear, zigzag, spherical and dry.

Now we will not dwell on the definition of lightning as the mark for breaking news and the print media, although the point is clear, and it is because of the transience or if you prefer, of a lightning event they are called.

What are zipper?

Before to talk in detail about types of lightning, it is necessary to say what they are. Four main types were given a couple of lines above, namely: linear, zigzag, spherical and dry.

Linear lightning is called a short sharp shock which , illuminates the sky and disappear. Sometimes even the zipper is not visible as it passes very quickly and often even beats out of the ground, and between clouds.

A Zigzag called the longer zipper, which have the curve of the trajectory and give at least a few fractions of a second to yourself to consider. Sometimes you see even a small ripple of light in them.

A fireball — this is an extremely rare phenomenon. If conventional zipper , and the inhabitants of some regions — a few times a week, the chance to see a ball of lightning does not exceed one to ten thousand. That is why the phenomenon is considered a very mystical, and if you saw her, you are very lucky. Need to run for a lottery ticket.

With dry lightning, it's simple. It is commonly called lightning that occurs without rain. Not the most often phenomenon, but occasionally still happens. And certainly more often than the ball.

How is the lightning?

We have already decided that lightning — it is a powerful electrical discharge that occurs when the accumulation of charge inside the cloud and the emergence of a large difference in electric potentials of objects. In the end, lightning may occur between neighboring clouds, between the cloud and the earth, and even within a single cloud, which also happens very often. In any case, the cloud should be electrified. But it electrified?

It can be called lightning in miniature. The processes are similar.

This process familiar to us from childhood. Suffice it to recall how electrified comb, balloon or many other things by friction. A similar process occurs in clouds at a high altitude on a significantly larger scale.

The fact that the clouds represent a huge water ball, though not quite spherical. Its height can reach several kilometers, but in different aggregate state of water in it at all altitudes. Up to three to four thousand meters it drops, and above — already the ice crystals.

These crystals are of different sizes and continuously mixed. Smaller flying up because of the updraft from the warm earth. Lifting, they are constantly faced with larger crystals. Eventually, the cloud begins to electrify like the items in the above examples. Positively charged particles are on top, and negatively charged — below.

looks like a potential difference in the formation of lightning.

When the potential difference is very high, there is a discharge. If inside the cloud to generate enough discharge conditions, the discharge takes place in the ground. However, she is accompanied by a bright flash with heat. By releasing huge amounts of energy in the air around the lightning instantly heats up to several tens of thousand degrees and explosively expands in a small volume. This shock wave called thunder, spreading to a distance of 20 km from the lightning.

In this lightningconsist of several discharges, which are continuous to each other, but one by one, last for thousandths and millionths of a second.

Why lightning is a form?

We know that lightning is trying to hit the object at the shortest distance. But why is she curved? It's not the shortest distance at which she would direct, as a geometric ray.

The fact that the formation of the discharge electrons are accelerated to near-light speeds, but occasionally encounter obstacles in the form of air molecules. Each “meeting” they change their direction of motion and we get stepped structure of lightning, to which we are accustomed, and which schematic is drawn as the logo of Opel.

Zip logo of this company first appeared in the truck Opel Blitz (translated from the German Blitz — lightning)

Can a person create lightning?

Yes, people can create lightning. Each child can home to put a little experience, rubbed two balls and then bringing together them. If you do it in the dark, you can see a small discharge and snap, or click. This is the lightning and thunder in a nutshell.

With such zippers can face after wearing a wool sweater, combing hair, and in many other situations. Even lighter with a button creates minimalnu, which ignites the gas. The same equipment is installed in gas stoves and autopodium.

But people can create more serious lightning. I'm not even talking about the labs under the open sky, which forms the discharge for its study, although he can also be very strong. I mean lightning, which appears during a nuclear explosion.

The fact that when the reaction of a nuclear explosion gamma rays produces a tension at the level of 100-1000 kV/m. It is not only incapacitate unprotected electromagnetic lines of bunkers, mines and other facilities, but also leads to the formation of lightning. However, the lightning strikes in the sky, that is, in the opposite direction, so to speak. The category appears before the coming of the fiery hemisphere and disappears very quickly. This happens from about 0.015 to 0.5 seconds of the process the reaction of a nuclear explosion.

it looks like the lightning that accompanies a nuclear explosion.

Where are the lightning before the earthquake?

There is lightning, which manifest themselves during earthquakes. For the rest of their nature is still unknown, but they also arise from charge accumulation. Only in this case it occurs due to the friction of the layers of rocks between.

Originally, scientists did not take seriously the stories that the earthquake accompanied by lightning, but the appearance recently of the cameras forced them to think about it. As a result, they began to experiment and came to the conclusion that the friction of the layers of rocks.

Much more well-known lightning in volcanic eruptions, also called “dirty lightning”. They also arise as a result of friction between particles emitted from the crater.

looks like lightning inside the volcano.

The Formation of lightning accompanied by other phenomena, e.g., dust storms, tornadoes, and some others, all leading to the same accumulation of the charge.

What is ball lightning and how it appears?

In addition to the normal lightning, which all more or less clear, though some questions remain, there is ball lightning, which are not studied properly and nobody can explain where they come from, why and where missing.

Initially, the ball lightning is a glowing ball (sometimes shape might be slightly different), which according to estimates has a temperature of 500-1000 degrees Celsius, can move in space, pass through the glass and explode a few minutes after emergence. Until more knows nothing.

a Lot of this you don't know:

The First mention of them Dating back to the times of BC. However, it was very allegorical and included conversations about the fire birds and the like. Now this is very similar to the description of ball lightning, but it is safe to say this is impossible.

It's a Phoenix, but something like this imagined ball lightning in the ancient world.

Until recently, many scientists did not believe in the existence of such phenomena, and the statements of witnesses considered the consequence of a retinal damage after hitting an ordinary lightning. The more everyone talked about different form. Now it began to believe and began exploring, but the information is still not enough.

Someone considers them blobs of gas, someone special particles with a huge amount of energy, but someone does and says about the higher forces.

However, this does not negate the fact that ball lightning can damage objects that come into contact. For example, melting glass and metal, burn wood and boil water. There are even stories about how they closed the high-voltage transmission lines, creating an arc.

There are several hypotheses for this phenomenon, each of which still has not been confirmed, but not refuted.

One of them says that the fireball is a specific interaction of the nitrogen with oxygen, which produce energy for its existence. According to another hypothesis, the phenomenon is a whirl of spherical shape of dust particles with the reactive gas. Theysteel because the resulting electric discharge. In the end, a fireball is something of a battery. This hypothesis explains the peculiar smell and Daisy chain glow near ball lightning.

Ball lightning might look anyway, but more studied that does not make it.

There is a hypothesis that challenges previous two, telling us that the existence of ball lightning is impossible without the replenishment of her energy outside. But such a hypothesis of the existence of collapsing waves need to supply the length.

All this proves once again that the ball lightning to be feared, as even there are no clear descriptions of how to act when it appears. The main recommendation is the immediate evacuation zone of its action, but without undue haste, so as not to disturb the movement of the air and carry her along.

What do we know about lightning?

About the usual lightning we know a lot, though not all. Ball about almost anything, but given the frequency of their occurrence, we can assume that it's not so bad, though work in this direction should be to continue the study.

The Lightning have become inseparable companions of our lives. They occur in many fields and make themselves respected because of the destructive power hidden in them.

However, the means to combat them are quite effective. You only need to perform basic safety rules (don't stand in the storm, near trees, not fly kites, and generally better not to leave the house) and put the lightning rods on the house. In this case, all will be significantly easier and safer.

Lightning can scare if you don't know where it comes from.