Lightning

Ananya Pradhan 6A
 + water evaporates

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Available at: https://www.noaa.gov/jetstream/atmosphere/transfer-of-heat-energy .

Polarisation process

1st process: Frictional charging 2nd process: Freezing

 Clouds contain water droplets and ice  Rising water vapor encounters cooler
particles temp. at higher altitude
 Additional water droplets evaporate ⇒ freezes
and collide with the droplets and ice  Air currents cause ice particles to
⇒ e- are separated → collide → loose electron
jfefiiiiseparation of + & – charges

Polarisation Frictional charging

= separation of center
of positive charge and = transfer of electrons between
the center of negative the two objects that collide
charge in a material. together

Electrical Information. (n.d.). Difference Between Induction and Polarization

 Cloud

How the cloud looks like after the polarisation process

 What makes charge transfer possible?
1.
Clouds electric field due to
polarisation effects the earths
surface
⇒ induces moment of electrons
3.
Electric field is strong to ionise
surrounding air
2.
e- in the ground are repelled
because of – charges in cloud
bottom surface
→ positive charged earth surface
4.
Ionisation → loss of e- from gas
molecules ⇒ insulating air to
conductive plasma (charge transfer
possible)
Ionization
= an atom or a molecule acquires a
negative or positive charge by
gaining or losing electrons
Insulating air
= property of air or any other gas to
resist the flow of electric current.
Conductive plasma
= conductive plasma is a state of
matter in which a gas is ionized,
resulting in the presence of free
electrons and positive ions
 Step Leader

 Electrons at the bottom of the cloud use air to reach the

ground
 Free electrons attracted to protons in gas molecule &
move through the air
 Process of electrons attaching and releasing from gas
molecules creates branches form
⇒ creates step leader
 The purple glow of the leader is a characteristic of
ionized air molecules

Britannica for Kids

 Step leader

HowStuffWorks. (n.d.). How Lightning Works. 

Final stage of lightning process

1. 2. 3. 4.

◆ As additional ◆ Positive charge starts ◆ Air cannot resist the ◆ Massive surge of
electrons approaches migrating toward the flow of + &-, they positive charge is
the earth, more step leader make contact sent back through the
electrons in the (Ascending leader) ionized path → flash
ground get repulsed of lightning
◆ Positive charge in
earths surface
increases
Coulombs law comes into effect: calculates the amount
of force between two electrically charged particles at
rest ⇒ like charges (positive-positive or negative-
negative) repel each other, while opposite charges
(positive-negative) attract each other.

F= electric force; k= coulomb constant; q1,q2= quantity of charge; r=

 distance of separation between the two objects
TheSlowMoGuys. (2019, March 6). Lightning Strike at 103,000 FPS
 Resources
Picture and video reference:

Britannica for Kids. (n.d.). In Britannica for Kids. [Online]. Available at: https://kids.britannica.com/students/assembly/view/145997 (Accessed: 12 June 2023).

Electrical Information. (n.d.). Difference Between Induction and Polarization. [Online]. Available at:
https://electrical-information.com/difference-between-induction-and-polarization/ (Accessed: 12 June 2023).

HowStuffWorks. (n.d.). How Lightning Works. [Online]. Available at: https://science.howstuffworks.com/nature/natural-disasters/lightning4.htm (Accessed: 12 June 2023).

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) (n.d.). Transfer of Heat Energy. [Online]. Available at:
https://www.noaa.gov/jetstream/atmosphere/transfer-of-heat-energy (Accessed: 12 June 2023).

Science Learning Hub. (n.d.). Lightning Explained. [Online]. Available at: https://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/resources/239-lightning-explained (Accessed: 12 June 2023).

TheSlowMoGuys. (2019, March 6). Lightning Strike at 103,000 FPS [Video]. YouTube. Available at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQKhIK4pvYo&t=318s&ab_channel=TheSlowMoGuys (Accessed: 12 June 2023).

Literary reference: 

Encyclopedia Britannica. (n.d.). Lightning (Meteorology). [Online]. Available at: https://www.britannica.com/science/lightning-meteorology (Accessed: 12 June 2023).

Physics Classroom. (n.d.). Lesson 4: Lightning. [Online]. Available at: https://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/estatics/Lesson-4/Lightning (Accessed: 12 June 2023).

Physics Classroom. (n.d.). Unit 8, Lesson 2: Electric Fields - Coulomb's Law. [Online]. Available at: https://www.physicsclassroom.com/Class/estatics/u8l2a.cfm (Accessed: 12 June
2023).

Science Learning Hub. (n.d.). Lightning Explained. [Online]. Available at: https://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/resources/239-lightning-explained (Accessed: 12 June 2023).
Thank you for your
attention!