Electric Skies: The Science of Lightning Formation

If updrafts carry light ice crystals to the top of a cloud while heavier hail falls to the bottom, then the particles collide. If these collisions cause the top of the cloud to become positive and the bottom to become negative, then the specific stages of lightning formation have begun.

If a lightning bolt creates an extreme temperature spike, then the air must expand explosively. If this expansion creates a supersonic pressure wave, then our ears perceive that wave as a booming sound. Therefore, thunder is the direct result of the lightning heating the air.

If a material has many free electrons that can move easily, then electricity can flow with very little resistance. If metals like copper and aluminum (and even water) have this property, then they are classified as conductors.

If we observe all lightning flashes globally, then we find that most of them stay within the clouds. If "intra-cloud" and "cloud-to-cloud" lightning happen much more frequently than strikes hitting the earth, then the statement is false.

If you are in a car, the metal frame directs the electricity around you. If you are in a building, the plumbing and wiring act as a ground. If you are under a tree or in water, then you are either a high point or in a conductor, which increases your risk of being struck.

If air is not a perfect conductor, then electricity must find the easiest route through it. If some pockets of air are more moist or have more ions than others, then the lightning will "zag" to stay on those easier paths.

If a lightning rod is a metal pole, then it acts as a high-quality conductor. If lightning strikes, the rod provides a safe, low-resistance path for the electricity to travel into the ground. If the energy goes into the ground instead of the building, the structure is protected, but the clouds are not affected.

If sound travels roughly one mile every 5 seconds, then we can divide the total time by 5. If we divide 10 seconds by 5, then the resulting distance is 2 miles.

If light travels at approximately 186,000 miles per second and sound travels at only about 1,100 feet per second, then the visual signal reaches you almost instantly. If the sound waves take much longer to cover the same distance, then the flash will always precede the noise.

If lightning reaches 50,000 degrees Fahrenheit, then it heats the air around it almost instantly. If air is heated that quickly, then it expands at supersonic speeds, creating a shockwave. If we hear that shockwave, then we are hearing thunder.

If there is no moisture, then there are no particles to rub together. If the air is not rising, then the particles cannot collide. If there is no temperature difference to create air movement, then the electrical charge cannot build up.

If the bottom of a cloud is negatively charged, then it repels the electrons in the ground below it. If the ground's electrons are pushed deeper, then the surface of the ground is left with a positive charge. This process of creating a charge without touching is called induction.

If heavy hail and slush fall toward the base of a cloud, then they carry a negative charge with them. If lighter ice crystals carry a positive charge toward the top, then the bottom of the cloud will naturally become negatively charged.

If you rub a balloon on your hair, then it builds up static electricity through friction. If the same physical process happens on a larger scale with ice and water in a cloud, then a much larger charge is created. Therefore, friction is the essential starting point for the charge.

If ice crystals and water droplets are moved by strong winds inside a cloud, then they rub against each other. If friction occurs between these particles, then electrons are transferred. If this creates a separation of positive and negative charges, then a massive electrical imbalance is formed.

If a stepped leader from the cloud meets a positive "streamer" from the ground, then a complete circuit is formed. If a massive amount of electricity then surges from the ground back to the cloud, then it creates the brilliant flash known as the return stroke.

If a return stroke carries millions of volts of electricity, then it generates incredible thermal energy. If the surface of the Sun is 10,000 degrees Fahrenheit and lightning reaches 50,000 degrees, then it is five times hotter.

If the electrical difference between the cloud and the ground becomes too large, then a path of ionized air begins to form. If this path moves in small, jerky segments toward the earth, then it is known as a stepped leader.

If your shoes rub the carpet, then you build up a static charge. If you touch metal and the charge jumps, then you have a discharge. If lightning is just a massive version of this same static discharge, then the physics are identical.

If warm, moist air rises rapidly, then it creates the environment needed for clouds to grow tall. If these rising air currents cause particles to collide and create charges, then updrafts are the engine of the storm.