Lightning is one of those natural phenomena that have long inspired fear in the human race. The greatest minds, such as Aristotle or Lucretius, sought to understand its essence. They believed that it was a ball consisting of fire and sandwiched in the water vapor of the clouds, and, increasing in size, it breaks through them and falls to the ground with a swift spark.
The concept of lightning and its origin
Most often, lightning is formed in thunderclouds that are quite large. The upper part can be located at an altitude of 7 kilometers, and the lower one - only 500 meters above the ground. Taking into account the atmospheric air temperature, we can conclude that at a level of 3-4 km, the water freezes and turns into ice floes, which, colliding with each other, become electrified. Those that have the largest size receive a negative charge, and the smallest - a positive one. Based on their weight, they are evenly distributed in the cloud by layers. Approaching each other, they form a plasma channel, from which an electric spark, called lightning, is obtained. It got its broken shape due to the fact that various air particles are often found on the way to the ground,that form barriers. And to get around them, you have to change the trajectory.
Physical description of lightning
A lightning bolt releases 109 to 1010 joules of energy. Such a colossal amount of electricity is mostly spent on creating a flash of light and a shock wave, which is otherwise called thunder. But even a small part of lightning is enough to do unthinkable things, for example, its discharge can kill a person or destroy a building. Another interesting fact is that this natural phenomenon is able to melt sand, forming hollow cylinders. This effect is achieved due to the high temperature inside the lightning, it can reach 2000 degrees. The time of impact with the ground is also different, it cannot be more than a second. As for power, the pulse amplitude can reach hundreds of kilowatts. Combining all these factors, the most powerful natural discharge of current is obtained, which brings death to everything that it touches. All existing types of lightning are very dangerous, and a meeting with them is highly undesirable for a person.
Thunder formation
All types of lightning cannot be imagined without thunder, which does not carry the same danger, but in some cases can lead to network failure and other technical problems. It occurs due to the fact that a warm wave of air, heated by lightning to a temperature hotter than the sun, collides with a cold one. The sound resulting from this is nothing more than a wave caused by air vibrations. In most cases, the volume increases towards the endpeal. This is due to the reflection of sound from the clouds.
What are lightning
It turns out they are all different.
1. Linear zippers are the most common variety. An electric peal looks like an overgrown tree turned upside down. Several thinner and shorter "processes" depart from the main canal. The length of such a discharge can reach 20 kilometers, and the current strength is 20,000 amperes. The speed of movement is 150 kilometers per second. The temperature of the plasma filling the lightning channel reaches 10,000 degrees.
2. Intracloud lightning - the origin of this type is accompanied by a change in electric and magnetic fields, radio waves are also emitted. Such a roll is most likely to be found closer to the equator. In temperate latitudes, it appears extremely rarely. If there is lightning in the cloud, then a foreign object that violates the integrity of the shell, such as an electrified aircraft or a metal cable, can also induce it to get out. The length can vary from 1 to 150 kilometers.
3. Ground lightning - this type goes through several stages. On the first of them, impact ionization begins, which is created at the beginning by free electrons, they are always present in the air. Under the action of an electric field, elementary particles acquire high speeds and head towards the earth, colliding with the molecules that make up the air. Thus, electron avalanches arise, in a different waycalled streamers. They are channels that, merging with each other, cause a bright, thermally insulated lightning. It reaches the ground in the form of a small ladder, because there are obstacles in its path, and in order to get around them, it changes direction. The speed of movement is approximately 50,000 kilometers per second.
After the lightning has passed its way, it ends its movement for several tens of microseconds, while the light weakens. After that, the next stage begins: the repetition of the path traveled. The most recent discharge surpasses all the previous ones in brightness, the current strength in it can reach hundreds of thousands of amperes. The temperature inside the channel fluctuates around 25,000 degrees. This type of lightning is the longest, so the consequences can be devastating.
Pearl zippers
Answering the question of what kind of lightning are, one cannot lose sight of such a rare natural phenomenon. Most often, the discharge passes after the linear one and completely repeats its trajectory. Only now it looks like balls that are at a distance from each other and resemble beads made of precious material. Such lightning is accompanied by the loudest and rolling sounds.
Fireball
A natural phenomenon where lightning takes the form of a ball. In this case, the trajectory of its flight becomes unpredictable, which makes it even more dangerous for humans. In most cases, such an electric lump occurs together with other species, but the fact of its occurrence even in sunny weather has been recorded.
How is formedfireball? This is the question most often asked by people who are faced with this phenomenon. As everyone knows, some things are excellent conductors of electricity, and so it is in them, accumulating their charge, that the ball begins to emerge. It can also appear from the main lightning. Eyewitnesses say that it just appears out of nowhere.
The diameter of lightning ranges from a few centimeters to a meter. As for the color, there are several options: from white and yellow to bright green, it is extremely rare to find a black electric ball. After a rapid descent, it moves horizontally, about a meter from the surface of the earth. Such lightning can suddenly change its trajectory and just as suddenly disappear, releasing huge energy, due to which melting or even destruction of various objects occurs. She lives from ten seconds to several hours.
Sprite Lightning
Most recently, in 1989, scientists discovered another type of lightning, which was called a sprite. The discovery happened quite by accident, because the phenomenon is extremely rare and lasts only tenths of a second. They are distinguished from other electrical discharges by the height at which they appear - approximately 50-130 kilometers, while other subspecies do not overcome the 15-kilometer line. Also, the lightning sprite has a huge diameter, which reaches 100 km. They look like vertical pillars of light and flash in groups. Their color varies depending on the composition of the air: closer toon earth where there is more oxygen, they are green, yellow or white, but under the influence of nitrogen, at an altitude of more than 70 km, they acquire a bright red hue.
Behavior during a thunderstorm
All types of lightning carry an extraordinary danger to he alth and even human life. To avoid electric shock, the following rules should be followed in open areas:
- In this situation, the highest objects fall into the risk group, so open areas should be avoided. To become lower, it is best to sit down and put your head and chest on your knees, in case of defeat, this posture will protect all vital organs. In no case should you lie flat, so as not to increase the area of \u200b\u200ba possible hit.
- Also, do not hide under tall trees and lampposts. Unprotected structures or metal objects (such as a picnic shed) will also be undesirable shelter.
- During a thunderstorm, you should immediately get out of the water, because it is a good conductor. Once in it, a lightning discharge can easily spread to a person.
- Never use a mobile phone.
- To provide first aid to the victim, it is best to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation and immediately call the rescue service.
Rules of behavior in the house
Indoors are also at risk.
- If a thunderstorm starts outside, the first thing to do is closeall windows and doors.
- All electrical appliances must be turned off.
- Stay away from wired telephones and other cables, they are excellent conductors of electricity. Metal pipes have the same effect, so stay away from plumbing fixtures.
- Knowing how ball lightning is formed and how unpredictable its trajectory is, if it does get into the room, you must immediately leave it and close all windows and doors. If these actions are not possible, it is better to stand still.
Nature is still beyond human control and carries many dangers. All types of lightning are, in essence, the most powerful electrical discharges, which are several times more powerful than all artificially created current sources.
