Naked Science Forum

Life Sciences => The Environment => Topic started by: neilep on 30/04/2008 14:30:25

Title: Do Lightning Bolts Have The Same Amount Of Charge ?
Post by: neilep on 30/04/2008 14:30:25

Dear Illuminati,


See these lightning bolts ?

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Nice eh ?


Lightning is caused when a charge builds up in a cloud yes ?..it gets to a stage where it's so big/saturated that it has to discharge yes ?

Does this then mean that all lightning bolts have very similar charge ratings ?
....or does the size of cloud affect the size of lightning bolt ?.....or what other variations might there be ?



Thanks



Neil
Orchestral Lightning Conductor

Title: Do Lightning Bolts Have The Same Amount Of Charge ?
Post by: Karen W. on 30/04/2008 15:34:54

Hummm thats a good question... I wonder because I think you may have a valid point in the amount of moisture and is it heat also involved.. maybe a very heavy cloud might indeed provide larger charge per bolt... that would make sense given that lighter clouds etc seem to produce less charge or lightning for that matter...What about location though perhaps it has something to do with the amount of charge depending on the atmosphere where the cloud resides when it releases its fury!

Title: Do Lightning Bolts Have The Same Amount Of Charge ?
Post by: paul.fr on 30/04/2008 15:55:52

OK, now that i am not replying to the recycle bin!

I don't know but will guess that all discharges are of different charge, because what is going on is that when a 'sufficient' charge has been accumilated the electrical resistance breaks down, this is when you have the discharge from cloud to cloud, ground...The heating of the air along the lightnings path causes expansion and contraction which produces the sound of thunder.

Are two sounds/cracks the same? I don't think so, which makes me think they are different and therefore of different charge.

As for size of cloud playing a part, i guess it would. The larger cumulonimbus will have more room for greater positive charge in the higher portion of the cloud and higher negative charge at the base...same goes for altocumulus clouds.

but i could always be wrong.

Title: Do Lightning Bolts Have The Same Amount Of Charge ?
Post by: paul.fr on 30/04/2008 16:35:51

On a side note, im sure you know this already but...did you know thatjuly the 9th 1923 holds the record for 'the most dramatic lightning display'? 6924 flashes in 6 hours. London.

Title: Do Lightning Bolts Have The Same Amount Of Charge ?
Post by: Karen W. on 30/04/2008 17:03:01

WOW!!!

Title: Do Lightning Bolts Have The Same Amount Of Charge ?
Post by: DoctorBeaver on 02/05/2008 21:04:46

Beaver factlet...

A lightning charge contains 30 million volts at 100,000 amperes.

Title: Do Lightning Bolts Have The Same Amount Of Charge ?
Post by: chris on 02/05/2008 23:07:47

I wrote this article on the subject. You might find it "en-lightning"...

http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/articles/article/howdothunderstormswork-2/

Chris

Title: Do Lightning Bolts Have The Same Amount Of Charge ?
Post by: DoctorBeaver on 05/05/2008 20:46:44

Oh dear. Chris is trying to be witty  [::)]

Title: Do Lightning Bolts Have The Same Amount Of Charge ?
Post by: Make it Lady on 05/05/2008 22:17:27

That was a bolt from the blue!

Title: Do Lightning Bolts Have The Same Amount Of Charge ?
Post by: DoctorBeaver on 06/05/2008 07:55:01

All hail to our founder!