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LIGHTNING
Kristen Anderson
and
Chris Hutchison
What is lightning?
Lightning is the occurrence of a natural
electrical discharge of very short duration and
high voltage between a cloud and the ground
or within a cloud, accompanied by a bright
flash and typically also thunder
What causes lightning?
Lightning is an electric current. Within a
thundercloud way up in the sky, many small
bits of ice (frozen raindrops) bump into each
other as they move around in the air. All of
those collisions create an electric charge.
After a while, the whole cloud fills up with
electrical charges
Ice in a cloud may be key in the development of lightning. Ice
particles collide as they swirl around in a storm, causing a
separation of electrical charges. Since opposites attract, that
causes a positive charge to build up on the ground beneath
the cloud. The grounds electrical charge concentrates around
anything that sticks up, such as mountains, people, or single
trees. The charge coming up from these points eventually
connects with a charge reaching down from the clouds and zap - lightning strikes!
LIGHTING
Diagram of Lighting
Pictures of the severe weather
How does lighting affect
humans?
 Ball Lighting doesn’t affect humans unless it
strikes down low enough to hit us on the
ground.
 Some lightning strikes cause power outages.
 A lightning strike can give you cardiac arrest
which is when your heart stops beating
Safety and Preparation
 Stay alert and monitor local weather
conditions regularly using an AM/FM radio.
 Recognize warning signs such as dark skies
and rumbles of thunder
 Do not shower or take a bath during a storm.
 Find a large enclosed building to take shelter.
Sources
 http://www.health.ny.gov/environmental/emergency/weather/lightn
ing/
 http://www.weatherwizkids.com/weather-lightning.htm
 http://science.howstuffworks.com/nature/natural-
disasters/lightning.htm