21st June 2022 (7 Topics)
1
Jun
2
Jun
3
Jun
4
Jun
6
Jun
7
Jun
8
Jun
9
Jun
10
Jun
11
Jun
13
Jun
14
Jun
15
Jun
16
Jun
17
Jun
18
Jun
20
Jun
21
Jun
22
Jun
23
Jun
24
Jun
25
Jun
27
Jun
28
Jun
29
Jun
30
Jun
How lightning kills, and how to be safe when it strikes?
Context
Of all the atmospheric phenomena, lightning perhaps is the most dangerous and mysterious. In India, lightning kills about 2,000-2,500 people every year. Recently, Seventeen people have been in various parts of Bihar, Six deaths have been reported from Bhagalpur district, while three people were killed in Vaishali and two each in Banka and Khagaria.
About
About Lightning:
- Scientifically, lightning is a rapid and massive discharge of electricity in the atmosphere some of which is directed towards earth, generated in giant moisture-bearing clouds.
- Distance of the clouds from the earth’s surface:
- Base of the clouds: 1-2km from the Earth’s surface
- Top of the clouds: 12-13km
- Temperature at the top of the clouds: -35oC to -45oC
How the lightning is formed?
- As the water vapour moves upward in the clouds, the falling temperature converts the vapour into tiny ice crystals, as the temperature is below the freezing point.
- Collisions follow and trigger the release of electrons, the moving free electrons cause more collisions and more electrons, a chain reaction ensues.
- This process results into a situation of formation of layers of clouds with alternate positive and negative charge with a huge potential difference, of the order of a billion to 10 billion volts.
- As Earth is a good conductor of electricity 15-20% of the electricity generated by the process is directed to the Earth surface, creating the lightning situation.
|
Earth’s electric neutrality: Despite the fact that earth is a good conductor of electricity, Earth is electrically neutral. |
Courses
Study
Notes
Home
Resources
More
