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Lightning Strike
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| Ive been wondering, if salt acts as a conductor for electricity in the water (since pure H2O doesnt conduct), then why doesnt the electric current constantly jump around the ocean? and also, why arent the fishes dead from the electric shock. For example, if you stuck a plugged-in hairdryer into a pool and use those electric detector things, it shows you that the water has an electric current running. So if the lightning strikes the water, in that split second, wouldn't all the fish near it die of electricution? |
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Re: Lightning Strike
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on 2006-05-25 17:09:49 |
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The answer is simple: The ocean is grounded. Say lightning strikes the ocean. The strike delivers a huge number of electrons (or steals them away). The resulting charge is dispersed into the ocean. Any fish very close by the point of the strike would be fried. Fish very far away may not even know there is a storm coming. 
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Re: Lightning Strike
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| Did you know lighting is made from outer space. Stars and comics rays emitt eletrons that travel through out space. when they reach earth they interact with water molecules and freeing them of theirs eletrons. then the course of how lighting is made in the clouds delivers a bolt of light. I hope i explained it right, but you find the article on www.livescience.com or on www.pbs.org |
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Re: Lightning Strike
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by
on 2006-06-18 08:14:38 |
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Really. I don't believe it. Search it on Wikipedia.
:< :> :0 :) :( :?
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Re: Lightning Strike
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Lightning is caused by convectional precipitation. Storm clouds, or cumulo nimbus clouds, are vertically standing clouds. They form whan a warm air mass meets a cold air mass. Warm air is lighter and is rapidly forced upwards. As it rises, it cools and condenses, forming the cloud. When particular droplets get too heavy they are forced to the edges of the cloudand they begin to fall, but when they get near the base of the cloud the strong updrafts suck them back into the center of the cloud and force them back up. This process is repeated until the droplets are humongeous and the drafts cannot force them back upwards. This is also how hail is formed. If dust particles are in the cloud, then they are forced upwards by the drafts. They rub against each other, transferring electrons to one another. Eventually the charges gets too large and the electrons shoot out as lighting, heading towards the closest object that will ground them. Only 10% of lighting occurs below the cloud. That is how lighting is formed. (I think)
Wise Man says: "Take a dog off its leash and it will wander."
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Re: Lightning Strike
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by
 
on 2006-06-20 10:26:08 |
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@bboi My guess would be that the lightning would spread out amongnst the entire ocean until in one place, it's bearly any shock. And your pool story, you get a continous charge going through the pool, but a lightning strike is only for a second (or so) and it's current is quickly grounded into the sea floor. I think.... 
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Re: Lightning Strike
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| Its the same idea as if you drop a kettle of hot water inot the ocean why dont all the fish boil? The charge is spread out too much. It's different with striking a tree because the charge is concentrated down the tree, in the ocean it spreads. |
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Re: Lightning Strike
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by
on 2006-06-27 11:16:01 |
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Good analogy! I like it.
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