Something as powerful as lightning begins with a process that happens in your life all the time: static electricity. If you've ever shocked yourself on a doorknob after walking across a carpet in …

Apr 5, 2023 · However, exactly how lightning forms has never been verified, so there is room for debate. Leading theories focus around separation of electric charge and generation of an …

6 days ago · Lightning, the visible discharge of electricity that occurs when a region of a cloud acquires an excess electrical charge, either positive or negative, sufficient to break down the …

Lightning is produced as a result of charge separation within the atmosphere. Lightning (a spark discharge between centres of positive and negative charge) can occur within clouds, between …

As lightning passes through the air it heats the air quickly. This causes the air to expand rapidly and creates the sound wave we hear as thunder. Normally, you can hear thunder about 10 …

Feb 4, 2025 · Lightning is essentially a giant spark of electricity. It occurs during thunderstorms when different charges build up in the atmosphere. Here's how it works:

Lightning happens when the negative charges (electrons) in the bottom of the cloud are attracted to the positive charges (protons) in the ground. The accumulation of electric charges must be …

Negative charges gather near the base of the cloud, while positive charges build in the top of the cloud. This allows electric fields to form and grow between the cloud and the ground and …

Mar 3, 2023 · As ice crystals and heavier particles collide, they create electrical charges that result in negatively charged particles accumulating at the base of the cloud, leading to lightning.

When the charge difference becomes too great for the air to resist, it leads to a breakdown of the air's insulation, creating a sudden electrical discharge—lightning.