LIGHTNING. One of the most incredible natural phenomenons of this world, and the one thing, that scientists are still learning about. Although it's a common occurrence during between summer’s, when the heat of the day is broken by strokes of lightning worldwide. It is estimated that the lightning occurs 50 to 100 times a second throughout the world. And the greatest concentrations of lightning strikes in Central Africa, the Himalayas and, in South America.
So, How does a Lightning occur in the first place?
Well, Lightning is often seen flashing between storm clouds, and the earth. The bursts of light is pure electricity. However, scientists don't fully agree on what actually causes the electrical charge to be dispersed. Anyway as Lightning is electricity, it involves of tiny particles. Some particles have a positive charge, and some have a negative charge. The two opposite charges pull towards each other, like the north and south ends of magnets. Usually electric charges are fairly balanced, but the turbulent winds of a storm caused electric charges to separate within the cloud. Most lightning occurs within the cloud itself, but we're concerned about the lightning between the clouds and the ground. Lightning starts with negative charge, which moves from the clouds towards the ground. Scientists call it a stepped leader. Meanwhile an upward leader forms as positive charges move up from the ground, usually from tall objects. When a stepped leader, and an upward leader meet it makes a path for a much larger and brighter electric current to shoot up into the cloud.
This is what we see in the sky as lightning it happened so quickly that lightning seems to travel from the cloud to the ground when in fact the opposite is true.
But can a lightning strike the same place twice?
Well answer for it is, YES. As a matter of fact, Toronto CN Tower is struck by lightning around seventy five times each year. In fact in August 2011, the tower was shocked, with a record breaking 52 times in 84 minutes. But don't worry the tower was built to withstand it. So it's a safe place to be if lightning strikes once twice or even 52 times.
Most of the lightning takes place within the cloud, but some strikes the earth in bold flashes. In these cases the charge escapes the cloud, making a branching path that reaches for the ground. The energy of the lightning strike contains hundreds of millions of volts and lasts only a fraction of a second. But actually, what seems to be a single flash, is basically a series of return strokes of electrical energy reaching back up into the clouds. The path reaches temperatures of around 50,000 degrees Fahrenheit. This extreme heat creates the booming thunderclap as excessive pressure within the lightning path expands at supersonic rates on return strokes.
But, How can anyone can stay safe from Lightning during a Thunderstrom?
Well, Lightning is a deadly natural phenomenon, which take’s nearly 100's of lives every year on average in the America. Which is far more than hurricanes, or tornadoes. That is why, Lightning is a powerful force of nature and one must be cautious of it.
During thunder-storms, experts warn that people should seek shelter inside a building or under any hardtop automobiles. And if you are in the open, avoid high ground or any isolated trees.
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