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Chapter 20 : Lightning
Have you ever been struck by
lightning (or had a close encounter
of the first, second, or third kind) ?
A. No
B. Close enough for a good scare
C. in a house or car that was hit
D. Yes – felt it (zap or tingling)
E. Yes – ouch
What is
Lightning ?
The atmosphere normally has a
voltage gradient of 100 volts/meter…
… which may
sound like a
lot, but what
happens when
you stand one
meter from a
110 volt outlet
?
It takes about
1,000,000 volts/meter
to cause a spark.
That’s 10,000 volts per
centimeter.
Who is most likely to be struck by lightning ?
A. Zippy the pinhead
B. Stan the round head
C. Johnny Flathead
D. They’re all equally likely to be struck
(assume they’re all the same height and made out of the same stuff)
Who is most likely to be struck by lightning ?
A. Zippy the pinhead
B. Stan the round head
C. Johnny Flathead
D. They’re all equally likely to be struck
(assume they’re all the same height and made out of the same stuff)
What causes
electrical charges
in clouds ?
+
▬
+
What is Colorado’s most lethal
weather phenomena in a typical year?
A. Floods
B. Tornadoes & Hurricanes
C. Chinook wind storms
D. Lightning
E. Avalanches & Blizzards
What is Colorado’s most lethal
weather phenomena in a typical year?
A. Floods (on average)
B. Tornadoes & Hurricanes
C. Chinook wind storms
D. Lightning (typically)
E. Avalanches & Blizzards (sometimes)
Most fatal lightning strikes occur…
(based on a study of 8 cases in Colorado)
A. With the first lightning strike in the area
B. When lightning is increasing before the rain
C. At the height of the storm
(peak lightning and rain)
D. After the rain ends and the storm is moving on
E. With the last lightning strike in the area
Most fatal lightning strikes occur…
(based on a study of 8 cases in Colorado)
A. With the first lightning strike in the area
What’s this mean?
You should anticipate lightning before it occurs in
your area! Watch the skies – clouds
development and motion. When you hear
thunder and lightning is nearby, the danger is
already on top of you.
How does lightning kill ?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Severe burns
Blast trauma (head injuries)
External bleeding from wounds
Internal bleeding from ruptured blood vessels
Cardiac arrest (heart attack)
How does lightning kill ?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Severe burns
Blast trauma (head injuries)
External bleeding from wounds
Internal bleeding from ruptured blood vessels
Cardiac arrest (heart attack)
Get (or give)
CPR !!!
CPR =
CardioPulmonary
Resuscitation
Unless you like people pounding
on your chest and blowing air
into your lungs, it’s better to
avoid needing CPR.
How do you avoid lightning ?
If you’re outside and lightning is nearby, what
is your BEST option?
A. Hold up a stick as a lightning rod
B. Get under a tree
C. Run away from the storm as fast as you can
D. Stand on a rubber mat or rubber shoes
E. Get into a car
Now here’s a smart idea…
Who, me ????
No !
That’s not what I would do !
(try squatting in a thunderstorm for
more than a few seconds).
Run like h*** to the closest relative
shelter, even if it takes the
duration of the storm to get there.
Most of the time you won’t be in
contact with the ground.
www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov
Sprites and Jets
• =
(ISS-lyn)