Positive And Negative Electrical Charges
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In the past previous post, it has been explained that lightning is actually generated by clouds in which electrical charges tends to build up on them. But for a more curious individual he may ask, "How does the electrical charges in those clouds build up?".
The answer into the question is due to the so called "Polarities". In other words, it is due to the "positive" and "negative" electrons present inside the clouds.
Unbalanced Electrical Charges in the Atmosphere
Did you know that lightning is actually caused by an unbalanced electrical charges in the atmosphere?
According to the Chinese traditional belief, our world is being ruled by the "balance of nature" (also known as the "Yin and Yang"). If there is no balance, our world would result into chaos and destruction. Lightning occurrences is one perfect example of a result of an unbalanced force.
Here are the following steps on how the positive and negative electrons builds up inside the cloud to create lightning;
1. Before the Start of the Storm
Before a storm is about to occur, dark clouds tends to gather above the sky. Inside those dark clouds, they actually contain raindrops and ice particles. As it moves, the components inside the clouds are also forced to move where they generate friction. Due to friction, an equal amount of charges between positive and negative are produced. The equal amount of charges is what prevents a cloud from causing it to ignite within itself.
2. Positive Charges at the Top and Negative Charges at the Bottom
The positive charges inside the cloud are also called "protons" while negative charges are called "electrons".
Protons do have the natural characteristic of rising to the top portion of the cloud while the electrons tends to fall at the bottom.
4. Protons or Positive Charges from the Ground
Protons or positive charges can also build up on the ground surface of the Earth. What actually happens during a storm is that, the electrons that builds up at the bottom of the clouds will attract the protons from the ground like a magnet. As a result, attracted protons will have to travel and get close as much as possible to the cloud. In fact, protons can rises up travelling through tall buildings, trees, poles, high mountains and other high structures.
5. When the Positive and Negative Charges Collide
If it happens that there is enough charges that builds up inside the cloud, the attraction tends to become stronger. Assuming that there is sufficient charged electrons at the bottom of the cloud, it attracts the protons from the ground resulting into the creation of lightning.
When it comes to "Cloud-to-Ground" type of lightning, it actually has two characteristics which are the Positive and Negative Lightning.
What is negative lightning?
Negative lightning is the most common type of lightning that occur during a thunderstorm. According to the researchers, 70 to 90 percent of lightning occurrences are negative lightning. It occurs in such a way that, when the electrons from the bottom of the clouds has build enough charge, it creates lightning once it is able to attract enough protons from the ground.
What is positive lightning?
Unlike the negative lightning, positive lightning rarely occurs where according to the researchers, there's only 5 percents among all the strikes that occur. But despite of its low rate of occurrences, positive lightning is highly dangerous.
Positive lightning do occur in such as way that, when the protons from the upper portion of the cloud has build excessive amount of charge, it can also attract electrons found on the ground. Since protons originate at the upper level of the clouds, the lightning has to penetrate through the air in-between (air is considered as an "insulator") just to reach the ground.
The most interesting fact about positive lightning is that, it's electric field or discharge is several times more powerful than a negative strike. Based from some sources, the electrical discharge has been estimated to be as much as 300,000 Amperes or 1 Billion of Volts.
Further research claims that positive strikes commonly occur during a severe thunderstorm especially prior to a tornado formation. For this reason, scientists are conducting studies more about positive lightning as it might serve as the best or accurate indicator of predicting tornado formation.
To distinguish a positive lightning with your own plain sight, the flash duration tends to be longer as compared to the negative strikes.
Some researchers though blame this type of lightning as the one responsible of causing forest fires, power line damages and lethal accidents to the unfortunate victims.
Moreover, positive and negative lightning are both common type of lightning that can be observed during a thunderstorm.
The answer into the question is due to the so called "Polarities". In other words, it is due to the "positive" and "negative" electrons present inside the clouds.
Unbalanced Electrical Charges in the Atmosphere
Did you know that lightning is actually caused by an unbalanced electrical charges in the atmosphere?
According to the Chinese traditional belief, our world is being ruled by the "balance of nature" (also known as the "Yin and Yang"). If there is no balance, our world would result into chaos and destruction. Lightning occurrences is one perfect example of a result of an unbalanced force.
Here are the following steps on how the positive and negative electrons builds up inside the cloud to create lightning;
1. Before the Start of the Storm
Before a storm is about to occur, dark clouds tends to gather above the sky. Inside those dark clouds, they actually contain raindrops and ice particles. As it moves, the components inside the clouds are also forced to move where they generate friction. Due to friction, an equal amount of charges between positive and negative are produced. The equal amount of charges is what prevents a cloud from causing it to ignite within itself.
2. Positive Charges at the Top and Negative Charges at the Bottom
The positive charges inside the cloud are also called "protons" while negative charges are called "electrons".
Protons do have the natural characteristic of rising to the top portion of the cloud while the electrons tends to fall at the bottom.
4. Protons or Positive Charges from the Ground
Protons or positive charges can also build up on the ground surface of the Earth. What actually happens during a storm is that, the electrons that builds up at the bottom of the clouds will attract the protons from the ground like a magnet. As a result, attracted protons will have to travel and get close as much as possible to the cloud. In fact, protons can rises up travelling through tall buildings, trees, poles, high mountains and other high structures.
5. When the Positive and Negative Charges Collide
If it happens that there is enough charges that builds up inside the cloud, the attraction tends to become stronger. Assuming that there is sufficient charged electrons at the bottom of the cloud, it attracts the protons from the ground resulting into the creation of lightning.
Positive and Negative Lightning
When it comes to "Cloud-to-Ground" type of lightning, it actually has two characteristics which are the Positive and Negative Lightning.
What is negative lightning?
Negative lightning is the most common type of lightning that occur during a thunderstorm. According to the researchers, 70 to 90 percent of lightning occurrences are negative lightning. It occurs in such a way that, when the electrons from the bottom of the clouds has build enough charge, it creates lightning once it is able to attract enough protons from the ground.
What is positive lightning?
Unlike the negative lightning, positive lightning rarely occurs where according to the researchers, there's only 5 percents among all the strikes that occur. But despite of its low rate of occurrences, positive lightning is highly dangerous.
Positive lightning do occur in such as way that, when the protons from the upper portion of the cloud has build excessive amount of charge, it can also attract electrons found on the ground. Since protons originate at the upper level of the clouds, the lightning has to penetrate through the air in-between (air is considered as an "insulator") just to reach the ground.
The most interesting fact about positive lightning is that, it's electric field or discharge is several times more powerful than a negative strike. Based from some sources, the electrical discharge has been estimated to be as much as 300,000 Amperes or 1 Billion of Volts.
Further research claims that positive strikes commonly occur during a severe thunderstorm especially prior to a tornado formation. For this reason, scientists are conducting studies more about positive lightning as it might serve as the best or accurate indicator of predicting tornado formation.
To distinguish a positive lightning with your own plain sight, the flash duration tends to be longer as compared to the negative strikes.
Some researchers though blame this type of lightning as the one responsible of causing forest fires, power line damages and lethal accidents to the unfortunate victims.
Moreover, positive and negative lightning are both common type of lightning that can be observed during a thunderstorm.
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