What is lightning? Why is there lightning?

What is lightning? What is thunder?

Lightning or lightning is an atmospheric discharge between clouds carrying different charges or between clouds and the ground. Lightning strikes sometimes occur during volcanic eruptions or sandstorms. Lightning can move at a speed of 36,000km / h when discharging in the atmosphere.

What is lightning? Why is there lightning? Picture 1

Thunder or thunder is the sound caused by lightning and usually appears after the light of a lightning flash. This is evidence that the speed of sound is slower than the speed of light. Based on the time between seeing the lightning flash and the sound of thunder, one can calculate how far the lightning is.

Lightning is the movement of ions, while the image of lightning is created by a stream of glowing plasma. Under normal conditions of air, the noise only moves at 1,230km / h while light travels at 299,792,458 m / s.

Lightning can reach temperatures of 30,000 ° C, five times the surface temperature of the Sun (5778 ° C).

The process of formation of lightning

Lightning forms when a positive charge from the ground goes up to meet a negative charge moving from the clouds. Details about the process of forming clay, you can follow in the video below.

What to do when there is lightning?

Need shelter in the rain when it is about to happen thunderstorms (dark clouds, cold air, wind).

If indoors

Should stand away from doors, windows, electrical appliances, avoid damp places such as bathrooms, water tanks, faucets. If not necessary do not use the phone.

What is lightning? Why is there lightning? Picture 2

It is advisable to unplug electrical appliances before thunderstorms occur because wires connected to the outside network should be affected by lightning strikes.

If outdoors

Absolutely do not shelter rain under a tree, stay away from metal objects such as bicycles, machines, iron fences . and avoid higher areas around.

Look for a dry, low place and keep your feet together, bend close to the ground (but don't touch or lie on the ground) with your hands over your ears . Especially, don't stand near each other if you're a group of people.

If you feel that your hair has been erected, it means that you may be struck by lightning at any time.

If you are in a bus, train, car . do not stick out and do not touch the metal casing.