The battle for the crown
The physics of a flash
Tracking the flash
Thunder, heat, and safety
Which part of a lightning strike is the brilliant, visible flash that we actually see?
futura Before you see a bright flash, an invisible stream of electricity steps down from the cloud.
What upward-reaching electrical charge from the ground meets the downward step leader to complete the lightning circuit?
What physical process inside a storm cloud causes the separation of electrical charges?
futura The bright lightning bolt we see is actually electricity racing from the ground back up to the cloud.
Approximately what percentage of global lightning is in-cloud lightning that never touches the ground?
Superheated air: A single bolt of lightning can heat the air around it to 50,000 degrees Fahrenheit, which is five times hotter than the surface of the Sun.
What is the name of the invisible, downward-moving stream of electrons that initiates a lightning strike?