The insulating air is transformed into a conductive plasma.
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The gas molecules that compose air are thus turned into a soup of positive ions and free electrons. The ionization involves the shredding of electrons from the outer shells of gas molecules. Yet, the strong electric fields surrounding a cloud are capable of ionizing the surrounding air and making it more conductive. Normally, the air surrounding a cloud would be a good enough insulator to prevent a discharge of electrons to Earth. With the cloud polarized into opposites and with a positive charge induced upon Earth's surface, the stage is set for Act 2 in the drama of a lightning strike.Īs the static charge buildup in a storm cloud increases, the electric field surrounding the cloud becomes stronger. Buildings, trees and even people can experience a buildup of static charge as electrons are repelled by the cloud's bottom. This creates an opposite charge on the Earth's surface. Electrons on Earth's outer surface are repelled by the negatively charged cloud's bottom surface. The cloud's electric field stretches through the space surrounding it and induces movement of electrons upon Earth. The polarization of the clouds has an equally important effect on the surface of the Earth. In the end, a storm cloud becomes polarized with positive charges carried to the upper portions of the clouds and negative portions gravitating towards the bottom of the clouds. These two mechanisms are believed to be the primary causes of the polarization of storm clouds. Thus, the clouds become further polarized. The frozen portion of the droplets with their negative charge tends to gravitate towards the bottom of the storm clouds. Air currents within the clouds can rip the outer portions off the clusters and carry them upward toward the top of the clouds. The frozen portion of the cluster of rising moisture becomes negatively charged and the outer droplets acquire a positive charge. The frozen particles tend to cluster more tightly together and form the central regions of the cluster of droplets. These cooler temperatures cause the cluster of water droplets to undergo freezing. Rising moisture encounters cooler temperatures at higher altitudes. The second mechanism that contributes to the polarization of a storm cloud involves a freezing process. In the collisions, electrons are ripped off the rising droplets, causing a separation of negative electrons from a positively charged water droplet or a cluster of droplets. This upwardly rising moisture collides with water droplets within the clouds. Additional water from the ground evaporates, rises upward and forms clusters of droplets as it approaches a cloud.
Clouds are known to contain countless millions of suspended water droplets and ice particles moving and whirling about in turbulent fashion. One mechanism involves a separation of charge by a process that bears resemblance to frictional charging. Two mechanisms seem important to the polarization process. The tops of the storm clouds are known to acquire an excess of positive charge and the bottoms of the storm clouds acquire an excess of negative charge. The precursor of any lightning strike is the polarization of positive and negative charges within a storm cloud. Nonetheless there are several theories that make a good deal of sense and that demonstrate many concepts previously discussed in this unit of The Physics Classroom. The details of how a cloud becomes statically charged are not completely understood (as of this writing). Even today, it is the subject of a good deal of scientific research and theorizing. The scientific community has long pondered the cause of lightning strikes. How do lightning rods serve to protect buildings from the devastating effects of a lightning strike?.What is the cause and mechanism associated with lightning strikes?.In this part of Lesson 4, we will ponder two questions: Indeed, a lightning storm is the most powerful display of electrostatics in nature.
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Children and adults alike crowd around windows to watch the lightning displays in the sky, standing in awe of the power of static discharges. They're the frequent cause of canceled ball games and golf outings. The fury of a lightning strike is capable of interrupting midday conversations and activities. They send children rushing into parent's bedrooms, crying for assurance that everything will be safe. The rage of a lightning strike will wake a person in the middle of the night. They are never invited, never planned and never gone unnoticed. Lightning storms are inescapable from humankind's attention. Perhaps the most known and powerful display of electrostatics in nature is a lightning storm.
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