Page 35 - GBC Summer ENG 2021
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 LIGHTNING 101
Let’s start with the basics of this impressive and frightening weather phenomenon. So, what causes lightning? Lightning is a naturally occurring electrostatic discharge during which two electri- cally charged regions in the atmosphere or ground temporarily
equalize themselves, causing the instantaneous release of energy. A lightning strike is that electrostatic discharge between the atmosphere and the ground. Energy from a lightning channel heats the air briefly and causes the air to explode outward, creating thunder.
Most lightning occurs in the cloud or cloud to cloud, but lightning can also strike the ground or objects on the ground. If a lightning flash is going to strike the ground, a channel develops toward the surface. When it gets within a hundred yards of the ground, objects like trees, bushes and buildings start sending up sparks to meet it.
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