Why does thunder roar and lightning flash?
Many people are afraid of thunderstorms. This is truly scary. Dark gloomy clouds cover the sun, thunder rumbles, lightning flashes, and then it begins heavy rain. What's going on up there and where do the thunder and lightning come from?
I love the storm in early May,
When spring, the first thunder,
As if frolicking and playing,
Rumbling in the blue sky.
Young peals thunder,
The rain is splashing, the dust is flying,
Rain pearls hung,
And the sun gilds the threads.
A swift stream runs down the mountain,
The noise of birds in the forest is not silent,
And the din of the forest and the noise of the mountains -
Everything cheerfully echoes the thunder.
You will say: windy Hebe,
Feeding Zeus's eagle,
A thunderous goblet from the sky,
Laughing, she spilled it on the ground.
The poet was undoubtedly right at least in that thunder can be heard mainly only during a thunderstorm. Since time immemorial, people have perceived thunder and lightning as a manifestation of the wrath of the Gods, and, somewhere deep within us, this superstitious fear of this phenomenon still sits. How does science today explain why thunder thunders?
It turns out that the water vapor that forms the clouds accumulates electrical charges, which form a significant potential difference between the ground and the clouds.
The thunderclouds are huge. Usually their height is several kilometers. We can’t see it from the ground, but inside the thunderclouds everything is boiling and seething. Air flows in them quickly move from top to bottom and from bottom to top. At the very top of these clouds it is very cold, up to -40 degrees. Droplets of water, which actually make up thunderclouds, fall to the top and freeze. They produce pieces of ice that fly inside the clouds at great speed, collide, break apart and become charged with electricity. Smaller and lighter pieces of ice remain at the top. And the larger ones go down and melt, turning back into droplets of water. So it turns out that two electric charges are formed in a thundercloud - negative at the top and positive at the bottom.
The air between them plays a kind of dielectric role in a huge capacitor. When the electric charge becomes critical, lightning occurs, which discharges the cloud to the ground. And when a discharge occurs, lightning strikes the ground in a split second, heating the air along its path to a temperature of thousands of degrees Celsius. We hear air vibrations in places where lightning passes as thunder. And the booming sound is due to the fact that the speed of sound is low, and the length of lightning is sometimes several kilometers. Therefore, lightning will strike the ground a long time ago, and only after a few seconds we will begin to hear the prolonged sound of thunder reaching us from various layers of air along the path of lightning.
Knowing the time that elapses between the flash of lightning and the clap of thunder, you can approximately determine the distance at which the thunderstorm is located. The speed of light is several orders of magnitude higher than the speed of sound; it can be neglected and only the speed of sound, which is 300-360 meters per second, taken into account. That is, if thunder was heard a second after a lightning strike, then the thunderstorm is about a kilometer away. Typically, thunder can be heard at a distance of up to 15-20 kilometers, so if an observer sees lightning but does not hear thunder, then the thunderstorm is more than 20 kilometers away.
It’s so simple, you ask, where is the mysticism? The thing is that scientists still cannot fully explain one important question: how electricity accumulates in clouds and a potential difference arises. There are suggestions that the ionization of the atmosphere for the passage of the discharge occurs under the influence of high-energy cosmic radiation.
We are amazed when lightning “rips” the sky. You can suffer from this formidable weapon of nature anywhere, even in a car or inside a building. Over 8,000,000 lightning strikes strike the surface of our planet every day. This is one of nature's most deadly weapons. The natural force contained in lightning can turn sand into a glassy mass and evaporate water from wood. You can devote your life to studying this phenomenon, or you can get real pleasure from contemplating lightning.
But you should still be afraid of lightning. Because it can kill or cause a fire. People have learned to protect their homes from lightning. To do this, they use metal poles that attract electricity and conduct it into the ground. But if a thunderstorm finds you in a forest or field, do not hide under tall trees. After all, they are the ones who attract lightning to themselves in the first place.
What is thunder? Thunder is the sound that accompanies a lightning strike during a thunderstorm. Sounds simple enough, but why does lightning sound the way it does? Any sound consists of vibrations that create sound waves in the air. Lightning is a huge bolt of electricity that shoots through the air, causing vibrations. Many people have repeatedly wondered where lightning and thunder come from and why thunder precedes lightning. There are quite understandable reasons for this phenomenon.
How does thunder thunder?
Electricity passes through the air and causes air particles to vibrate. Lightning accompanied incredibly high temperature, so the air around it also gets very hot. Hot air expands, increasing the strength and number of vibrations. What is thunder? That's what it is sound vibrations arising from lightning strikes.
Why does thunder not thunder at the same time as lightning?
We see lightning before we hear thunder because light travels faster than sound. There is an old myth that by counting the seconds between a flash of lightning and thunder, you can find out the distance to where the storm is raging. However, from a mathematical point of view, this assumption is not valid. scientific justification, since the speed of sound is approximately 330 meters per second.
Thus, for thunder to travel one kilometer, it will take 3 seconds. Therefore, it would be more correct to count the number of seconds between the flash of lightning and the sound of thunder, and then divide this number by five, this will be the distance to the thunderstorm.
This mysterious phenomenon- lightning
The heat from lightning's electricity raises the temperature of the surrounding air to 27,000°C. Since lightning moves at incredible speeds, the heated air simply does not have time to expand. Heated air is compressed, it Atmosphere pressure at the same time it increases several times and becomes from 10 to 100 times more than normal. Compressed air rushes out from the lightning channel, forming a shock wave of compressed particles in each direction. Like an explosion, fast-moving waves of compressed air create a loud, booming burst of noise.
Based on the fact that electricity follows the shortest path, the predominant number of lightning strikes are close to vertical. However, lightning can also branch, as a result of which the sound color of the thunder roar also changes. Shock waves from different lightning forks bounce off each other, and low-hanging clouds and nearby hills help create the continuous rumble of thunder. Why is there thunder? Thunder is caused by the rapid expansion of air surrounding the lightning path.
What causes lightning?
Lightning is an electric current. Inside a thundercloud high in the sky, numerous small pieces of ice (frozen raindrops) collide with each other as they move through the air. All these collisions create an electrical charge. After some time, the whole cloud is filled with electrical charges. Positive charges, protons, form at the top of the cloud, and negative charges, electrons, form at the bottom of the cloud. And as we know, opposites attract. The main electrical charge is concentrated around everything that protrudes above the surface. These could be mountains, people or lonely trees. The charge goes up from these points and eventually combines with the charge going down from the clouds.
What causes thunder?
What is thunder? This is the sound caused by lightning, which is essentially a stream of electrons flowing between or within a cloud, or between a cloud and the ground. The air around these streams heats up to such an extent that it becomes three times hotter than the surface of the Sun. Simply put, lightning is a bright flash of electricity.
This stunning and at the same time terrifying spectacle of thunder and lightning is a combination of dynamic vibrations of air molecules and their disruption through electrical forces. This magnificent show once again reminds everyone of the powerful force of nature. If you heard the roar of thunder, lightning will soon flash; it is better not to be outside at this time.
Thunder: Fun Facts
- You can judge how close the lightning is by counting the seconds between the flash and the clap of thunder. For every second there are about 300 meters.
- During a large thunderstorm, seeing lightning and hearing thunder is a common occurrence; thunder during snowfall is very rare.
- Lightning is not always accompanied by thunder. In April 1885, five lightning bolts struck the Washington Monument during a thunderstorm, but no one heard the thunder.
Be careful, lightning!
Lightning is quite dangerous a natural phenomenon, and it’s better to stay away from her. When indoors during a thunderstorm, you should avoid water. It is an excellent conductor of electricity, so do not shower, wash your hands, wash dishes or do laundry. You should not use your phone, as lightning may strike external telephone lines. Do not include electrical equipment, computers or household appliances during a storm. Knowing what thunder and lightning are, it is important to behave correctly if suddenly a thunderstorm takes you by surprise. You should stay away from windows and doors. If someone is struck by lightning, they need to call for help and an ambulance.
Everyone seems to know why thunder roars, but it’s somehow difficult to explain this fact. Of course, we are not ancient people and we no longer believe in the wrath of the gods, at least in this manifestation of it. Everything in nature, including thunder, has its own natural cause.
A little history
Of course, thunderclouds look impressive and even somewhat menacing. And when they are cut by the dazzling glare of lightning and a massive clap of thunder is heard, the full power of natural phenomena becomes visible. At such moments, a person feels especially acutely his insignificance. But this was mostly due to the fact that people did not know the reasons for what was happening. They came up with a deity who showed his anger to humanity in this way. No matter what civilization we are talking about the pantheon of gods, but everywhere there was a thunderer and he ruled over everyone, he was the strongest of the gods. Now in none of the world's religions is there any indication that this natural phenomenon has a supernatural basis. People have studied and explained everything that they have been afraid of for centuries.
Why does thunder occur in nature?
So, a bolt from the blue is nothing more than a metaphorical phrase. There really is no such thing, it’s nonsense. Therefore, it is inextricably linked with a thunderstorm and the corresponding cloud type. There are several different types of clouds: nacreous, cirrus, cirrocumulus and cumulus. They all differ from each other in appearance and structural features. It is a thundercloud that usually arises during a collision various masses air. In this type of cloud, especially in its upper part, a large number of tiny ice crystals are formed. Thanks to this process, all top part the clouds begin to be covered with a specific white veil, and the cloud itself slowly, gradually acquires an increasingly darker, as if leaden color.
Well, so to speak, the ground is already ready for lightning and the thunder that invariably accompanies it. Droplets of water point-to-point touch the needles of ice and air particles, as a result of all this they quickly become electrified. When the water, together with the ice floes, becomes heavy enough to overcome the resistance from the air, it begins to fall down, thereby transferring its negative charge from the upper to the lower part of the thundercloud. So it's raining. There is a parallel accumulation of negative charges at the bottom and positive charges at the top of the thundercloud. If you remember a little about some school physics lessons, you can easily guess what happens next: the top and bottom of the cloud begin to attract each other with increasing force. This is how a voltage arises, sometimes of colossal power of tens or even hundreds of millions of volts, in fact, it generates a spark - what we call lightning. She immediately rushes to the ground. But at the same time, it greatly heats up the air around it, yet its temperature can reach 25,000 °C, and thereby creates pressure. As soon as it passes, the air compresses again. But this compression is accompanied by a sort of cracking sound. This is thunder. We hear it in waves, so to speak, peals, because from the physics course at school we remember that a sound wave is reflected more than once from the surface of both clouds and the ground. There is little time between light and sound. It's just the speed of sound.
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Storm - atmospheric phenomenon albeit not as rare as, for example, northern lights or the fires of St. Elmo, but no less bright and impressive with its indomitable strength and primordial power. It’s not for nothing that all romantic poets and prose writers love to describe it in their works, and professional revolutionaries They see the thunderstorm as a symbol of popular unrest and serious social upheaval. From a scientific point of view, a thunderstorm is torrential rain, accompanied by squalls of wind, lightning and thunder. But, if you probably already understand everything about the rain and wind, then it’s worth talking about the other components of the thunderstorm in a little more detail.
What is thunder and lightning
Lightning is the name given to powerful electrical discharges in the atmosphere, which can occur both between individual cumulus clouds and between rain clouds and the ground. Lightning is a kind of giant electric arc, the average length of which is 2.5 - 3 kilometers. The incredible power of lightning is evidenced by the fact that the current in the discharge reaches tens of thousands of amperes, and the voltage reaches several million volts. Considering that such fantastic power is released within a few milliseconds, a lightning discharge can well be called a kind of electrical explosion of incredible power. It is clear that such a detonation inevitably causes the appearance of a shock wave, which then degenerates into a sound wave and decays as it propagates in the air. Thus it becomes obvious what thunder is.
Thunder is a sound vibration that occurs in the atmosphere under the influence of a shock wave caused by a powerful electrical discharge. Taking into account the fact that the air in the lightning channel instantly heats up to a temperature of about 20 thousand degrees, which exceeds the temperature of the surface of the Sun, such a discharge is inevitably accompanied by a deafening roar, like any other very powerful explosion. But lightning lasts less than a second, and we hear thunder in long peals. Why does this happen, why does thunder roar? Scientists who study atmospheric phenomena have an answer to this question.
Why do we hear thunder?
Thunderclaps arise in the atmosphere due to the fact that lightning, as we have already said, has a very longer length and therefore the sound from its different parts does not reach our ear at the same time, although we see the light flash itself entirely at one moment. In addition, the occurrence of thunderclaps is facilitated by the reflection of sound waves from clouds and the surface of the earth, as well as their refraction and dispersion.
Thunder is the sound of lightning piercing the air. When the first lightning bolt hits the ground, it carries an electrical charge. A spark charge bursts out of the ground towards her. When they are connected, a current begins to rise to the cloud, gaining strength up to 20,000 amperes. And the temperature of the channel through which the current is directed can become higher than 250,000 C. From such a high temperature, air molecules fly apart, and the air itself expands at supersonic speed and forms shock waves. The deafening roar generated by such waves is called thunder ohm Due to the fact that the speed of light significantly exceeds the speed of sound, lightning is immediately visible, and thunder heard much later. Rumbles thunder but occur due to the fact that the sound comes from different parts of the lightning, which has a significant length. In addition, the discharge itself does not occur in an instant, but continues for a certain time. The resulting sound can echo off surrounding objects such as mountains, buildings and clouds. Therefore, people hear not one sound, but several echoes catching up with each other, thunder the bone of which can exceed 100 decibels. To approximately calculate at what distance lightning struck, you need to note the number of seconds that passed between the flash and the strike thunder A. And then divide the resulting number by three. By comparing such calculations, one can also conclude whether a thunderstorm is approaching or, conversely, moving away. Usually, thunder New rumbles can be heard at a distance of 15 to 20 kilometers from the lightning flash.
No matter how much science explains the essence of atmospheric electricity, people still flinch when lightning strikes and involuntarily shrink in anticipation of the clap of thunder. Obviously, in most people, the memory of distant ancestors speaks, trying to find at least some kind of protection from heavenly fire.
Of course, there is nothing supernatural in atmospheric electricity, but this does not make lightning and the subsequent peals of thunder look any less impressive and menacing. So what exactly is lightning?
As you know from a school physics course, all objects have a very definite electric charge. The collision of charged particles with each other leads to the creation of large areas of positive and negative charges. When such areas are close enough to each other, a breakdown occurs and charged particles rush into the created channel. People perceive this breakdown as a lightning strike.
If it’s more or less clear with lightning, then why is it followed by a terrifying roar, reminiscent of artillery cannonade? After all, the same physics convinces people that electric current cannot be seen, heard or otherwise detected, with the exception of special devices.
As it turns out, the whole point is in the air, or rather, in its properties. The fact is that, being, in fact, an insulator, at the moment of breakdown it heats up to a temperature of about 30,000°C. Moreover, the rate of heating and, accordingly, expansion of the air environment expands explosively, which leads to the appearance of a shock wave, which the human ear perceives as roar or thunder.
Therefore, lightning and thunder are inseparable, since thunder is the result of lightning. The talk that there is supposedly lightning without thunder and vice versa is groundless.
On the other hand, there are quite a lot of inexplicable things associated with lightning and their manifestations. Such types of lightning as linear, cord, rope, tape are quite well known and relatively well studied. In turn, they are united and branched. The most mysterious and so far unexplored lightning is ball lightning. Associated with it greatest number oddities and mysteries, both documented and unproven.
It has been repeatedly noted by many eyewitnesses that lightning flickers. The fact is that lightning consists of many successive discharges lasting only a few tens of millionths of a second. This creates the flickering effect.
Lightning discharges occur between individual thunderclouds, between a cloud and the ground, and sometimes, for unknown reasons, the discharge goes vertically into the sky.
As for lightning emanating from clouds to the ground, there are two known types, positive and negative. Moreover, according to scientists, it is positive discharges, as they are more powerful, that lead to fires.
Of course, everyone knows such an atmospheric phenomenon as a thunderstorm. Every day at least one and a half thousand thunderstorms occur on Earth. Most of them are observed over continents; there are much fewer of them over oceans. Maximum thunderstorm activity can be observed over the territory of Central Africa. Over the Arctic and Antarctic this phenomenon is practically absent.
Thunderstorm is one of the most dangerous natural phenomena. Few people know, but the number of deaths that occurred during thunderstorms can only be compared with floods. Inside a thundercloud or between earth's surface and cumulus clouds produce electrical discharges - lightning, which are accompanied by peals of thunder. Why does thunder boom during a thunderstorm? Many people are interested in this question, but before answering it, it is necessary to understand what thunder and lightning are. What is their nature, where do they arise from?
Storm
A thunderstorm is “launched” by the energy that occurs during air convection. Warmer air rises if there is moisture in the upper layers sufficient, the prerequisites for the formation of a thunderstorm arise. In the upper layers of the atmosphere, a difference in electrical charges arises between pieces of ice due to their fast travel. High humidity, ice and warm air rising from the ground contribute to the formation of thunderclouds. Thunderstorms create this terrible phenomenon, like tornadoes that so often occur over the American continent. Tornadoes form under thunderclouds.
Lightning
Interesting fact: lightning doesn’t only happen on Earth. Astronomers have recorded lightning on Jupiter, Saturn, Venus and Uranus. The current strength in a lightning discharge ranges from 10 thousand to 100 thousand amperes, and the voltage can reach 50 million volts! Lightning reaches gigantic size– up to 20 kilometers. The temperature inside lightning can be five times higher than the temperature on the surface of the Sun.
The appearance of lightning in a thunderstorm is facilitated by the electrification of clouds. This happens because the thundercloud is very large. If the top of such a cloud is at an altitude of seven kilometers, then its lower edge can hang above the ground at an altitude of half a kilometer. At an altitude of 3-4 kilometers, the water freezes and turns into small pieces of ice, which are in constant motion from rising warm air currents rising from the ground.
Colliding with each other, the pieces of ice become electrified. Smaller ones are charged "positively", and larger ones - "negatively". Due to the difference in weight, small pieces of ice are at the top of a thundercloud, and large ones are at the bottom. It turns out that the top of the cloud is positively charged, and the bottom is negatively charged.
By approaching each other, differently charged areas create a plasma channel through which other charged particles rush. This is the lightning we see. Since all current flows along the path of least resistance, lightning appears zigzag.
Thunder
In ancient times, people were equally afraid of thunder and lightning. It is not for nothing that many peoples called the Supreme God the Thunderer. Any lightning strike is accompanied by thunder. In fact, thunder is vibrations in the air. Flying lightning creates strong pressure in front of it, this comes from strong heating. Then the air is compressed again. The sound wave is reflected repeatedly from the clouds, and at this moment thunderclaps occur.
By the way, by the time interval between a flash of lightning and thunder, you can determine the approximate distance to a thunderstorm. The speed of sound depends on the density of air; you can take its approximate value as 300 meters per second. Having done simple calculations, anyone will get the approximate distance to the raging elements. If the distance to the thunderstorm is very large (at least 20 kilometers), then the sounds of thunder will not reach a person’s ears.
During a thunderstorm, you should not hide under single trees. There is a very high probability that lightning will strike a tree. It is better to wait out the thunderstorm indoors with the windows closed. If this is not possible, then a thicket of forest is suitable for shelter.
A thunderstorm is a frightening phenomenon. No matter where we are. At home or on the street. Still scary. The dazzling glare and the rolling roar are frightening. The sounds seem to be catching up with each other, now approaching, now moving away. In ancient times, people considered the heavenly roar to be the wrath of the gods. And lightning is a punishing sword. But we understand that there is a more earthly explanation for these phenomena. Why is there thunder? Why is he inseparable from lightning? Why does it rain during a thunderstorm?
How are thunderclouds formed?
There is water in the atmospheric air. In the form of steam. Under the influence of high air temperature, warm steam rises from the water surface of the earth. Warm air pushes it from below.
In the upper layers of the atmosphere the temperature is lower. The higher the water vapor rises, the colder the environment around it becomes. Accordingly, it cools down.
There are more than just gases and water in the atmosphere. There is also dust. Cooled steam condenses around its smallest particles. Small water droplets and pieces of ice turn into clouds. They are different. In the form of feathers or huge heaps, white stripes on the heavenly slope or torn rags.
Thunderclouds are formed due to the collision of air masses. Then many, many water crystals collect in the upper part. It turns out to be a kind of white dense veil. It illuminates the entire cloud with cold, which takes on a rich leaden hue. That’s why we call such clouds “lead,” “heavy.”
Spawn of Thunder and Lightning
Thunderclouds give birth to Bliskawitz. And lightning, in turn, is a heavenly roar. How does this happen? Why is there thunder?
1. Droplets and pieces of ice at the top of a thundercloud interact with air molecules and become charged with electricity. When they get heavy, they fall down. So the lower part of the cloud becomes negatively charged.
2. At the same time, a positive charge accumulates at the top of the cloud. And plus and minus attract.
3. Under the influence of the attraction of positive and negative, tension arises. Taking into account the size of the cloud (up to ten kilometers wide), this voltage reaches hundreds of millions of volts. This is how lightning is born.
4. A spark that appears from a cloud follows to the ground. Her temperature is enormous - more than twenty degrees. As a result of the rapid movement of the fiery arrow, great pressure is created in the atmosphere. And immediately behind it, the air sharply compresses, returning to its original state. The result is an explosive sound. This is how thunder is born.
FAQ:
Why do we first see lightning and then hear the sound of thunder?
Because the speed of light is hundreds of millions of times faster than the speed of sound.
Why do we hear thunder?
Because sound waves encounter various obstacles on their way (clouds, earth) and are reflected from them. This happens many times. Hence the rolling thunder sounds.
Sometimes we see bliskavitsa, but do not hear the thunder. Why?
The thunderstorm is too far from us, more than twenty kilometers.
What is thunder? Thunder is the sound that accompanies a lightning strike during a thunderstorm. Sounds simple enough, but why does lightning sound the way it does? Any sound consists of vibrations that create sound waves in the air. Lightning is a huge bolt of electricity that shoots through the air, causing vibrations. Many people have repeatedly wondered where lightning and thunder come from and why thunder precedes lightning. There are quite understandable reasons for this phenomenon.
How does thunder thunder?
Electricity passes through the air and causes air particles to vibrate. Lightning is accompanied by incredibly high temperatures, so the air around it also becomes very hot. Hot air expands, increasing the strength and number of vibrations. What is thunder? These are the sound vibrations that occur during lightning strikes.
Why does thunder not thunder at the same time as lightning?
We see lightning before we hear thunder because light travels faster than sound. There is an old myth that by counting the seconds between a flash of lightning and thunder, you can find out the distance to where the storm is raging. However, from a mathematical point of view, this assumption has no scientific basis, since the speed of sound is approximately 330 meters per second.
Thus, for thunder to travel one kilometer, it will take 3 seconds. Therefore, it would be more correct to count the number of seconds between the flash of lightning and the sound of thunder, and then divide this number by five, this will be the distance to the thunderstorm.
This mysterious phenomenon is lightning
The heat from lightning's electricity raises the temperature of the surrounding air to 27,000°C. Since lightning moves at incredible speeds, the heated air simply does not have time to expand. The heated air is compressed, and its atmospheric pressure increases significantly and becomes from 10 to 100 times higher than normal. Compressed air rushes out from the lightning channel, forming a shock wave of compressed particles in each direction. Like an explosion, fast-moving waves of compressed air create a loud, booming burst of noise.
Based on the fact that electricity follows the shortest path, the predominant number of lightning strikes are close to vertical. However, lightning can also branch, as a result of which the sound color of the thunder roar also changes. Shock waves from different lightning forks bounce off each other, and low-hanging clouds and nearby hills help create the continuous rumble of thunder. Why is there thunder? Thunder is caused by the rapid expansion of air surrounding the lightning path.
What causes lightning?
Lightning is an electric current. Inside a thundercloud high in the sky, numerous small pieces of ice (frozen raindrops) collide with each other as they move through the air. All these collisions create an electrical charge. After some time, the whole cloud is filled with electrical charges. Positive charges, protons, form at the top of the cloud, and negative charges, electrons, form at the bottom of the cloud. And as we know, opposites attract. The main electrical charge is concentrated around everything that protrudes above the surface. These could be mountains, people or lonely trees. The charge goes up from these points and eventually combines with the charge going down from the clouds.
What causes thunder?
What is thunder? This is the sound caused by lightning, which is essentially a stream of electrons flowing between or within a cloud, or between a cloud and the ground. The air around these streams heats up to such an extent that it becomes three times hotter than the surface of the Sun. Simply put, lightning is a bright flash of electricity.
This stunning and at the same time terrifying spectacle of thunder and lightning is a combination of dynamic vibrations of air molecules and their disruption through electrical forces. This magnificent show once again reminds everyone of the powerful force of nature. If you heard the roar of thunder, lightning will soon flash; it is better not to be outside at this time.
Thunder: Fun Facts
- You can judge how close the lightning is by counting the seconds between the flash and the clap of thunder. For every second there are about 300 meters.
- During a large thunderstorm, seeing lightning and hearing thunder is a common occurrence; thunder during snowfall is very rare.
- Lightning is not always accompanied by thunder. In April 1885, five lightning bolts struck the Washington Monument during a thunderstorm, but no one heard the thunder.
Be careful, lightning!
Lightning is a rather dangerous natural phenomenon, and it is better to stay away from it. When indoors during a thunderstorm, you should avoid water. It is an excellent conductor of electricity, so do not shower, wash your hands, wash dishes or do laundry. Do not use the telephone, as lightning may strike external telephone lines. Do not turn on electrical equipment, computers and household appliances during a storm. Knowing what thunder and lightning are, it is important to behave correctly if suddenly a thunderstorm takes you by surprise. You should stay away from windows and doors. If someone is struck by lightning, they need to call for help and an ambulance.
Of course, everyone knows such an atmospheric phenomenon as a thunderstorm. Every day at least one and a half thousand thunderstorms occur on Earth. Most of them are observed over continents; there are much fewer of them over oceans. Maximum thunderstorm activity can be observed over the territory of Central Africa. Over the Arctic and Antarctic this phenomenon is practically absent.
Ra apparently commanded fiery fire to cast rays on those he wished to reward or punish. Therefore, this god had a weapon of rays. Was it lightning related technology? Or using the power of a quartz crystal, as in a modern laser? Another thing besides our reach?
And in dark night, like nothing, suddenly, with a terrible stormy piercing scream, the crash bounced back like a wreck: it reproached, bounced off, rolled gloomily and fell silent, and then came out loud, and then disappeared. he heard about the mother and the movement of the cradle. Black as Nothing: This is a resemblance that compares the color black to absence and emptiness; And the choice of nasal and harsh sounds conveys the feeling of darkness and darkness that precedes the sudden thunderous explosion of thunder. This gives a quick and fast pace. he remembers again, and he heard the sound of the sea waves shrinking.
Thunderstorm is one of the most dangerous natural phenomena. Few people know, but the number deaths events that occurred during a thunderstorm can only be compared to floods. Electrical discharges - lightning - occur inside a thundercloud or between the earth's surface and cumulus clouds, which are accompanied by peals of thunder. Why does thunder boom during a thunderstorm? Many people are interested in this question, but before answering it, it is necessary to understand what thunder and lightning are. What is their nature, where do they arise from?
What is peculiar in this poem, he wants to describe the thunder that reigns with a high stench at night, sparkling in all its terrible violence. Man, to hear this mighty force of nature, is afraid, like a dying little boy crying in the dark night. At the end, typically Pascolian, the figures of the mother and the cradle contrast with the menacing image of nature: but the presence of these two comforting references, symbols of protection and innocence, rather than the introduction of a note of hope, seems to emphasize the tragic character of the "existence in rhyme-assimilation" nothingness: cradle.
Storm
A thunderstorm is “launched” by the energy that occurs during air convection. Warmer air rises to the top; if the supply of moisture in the upper layers is sufficient, the preconditions for the formation of a thunderstorm arise. In the upper layers of the atmosphere, a difference in electrical charges arises between pieces of ice due to their rapid movement. High humidity, ice floes and warm air rising from the ground contribute to the formation of thunderclouds. Thunderstorms give rise to such a terrible phenomenon as tornadoes, which so often occur over the American continent. Tornadoes form under thunderclouds.
You could say that this poem is a continuation of the one called "Lightning" and actually begins with the same words that closed the lightning: in "Black Night". It also presents other elements such as an identical metrical structure and an identical rhyme pattern. Both lyrics are built on a mixture of sensations: hallucinatory sensations predominate in the grotto, and visual effects predominate in the flash.
Presenting a natural phenomenon and describing a landscape is a way to show the poet's feelings. Poetry opens with the isolated direction introduced by the union, and therefore seems to want to continue the discussion, the reflection. Other warnings appear throughout much of the text.
Lightning
Interesting fact: lightning doesn’t only happen on Earth. Astronomers have recorded lightning on Jupiter, Saturn, Venus and Uranus. The current strength in a lightning discharge ranges from 10 thousand to 100 thousand amperes, and the voltage can reach 50 million volts! Lightning reaches gigantic sizes - up to 20 kilometers. The temperature inside lightning can be five times higher than the temperature on the surface of the Sun.
In the last two verses the rhythm becomes slow and slanted, giving the impression of a quiet atmosphere. Let's understand one of the phenomena where it can be, without a doubt, the protagonist: its electrical activity. National Park Sequoia in the Sierra Nevada. Above a hill with little vegetation, three brothers Sean, Michelle and Mary spent the day among friends. Large clouds dimmed on the horizon. At some point, they realized that their hair was suspended strangely in the air, and the ring that Mary was carrying with her finger made a strange noise in the air.
Suddenly it began to hail, and they fled to find shelter by going down a steep staircase; Sean fell. A sudden light followed by an explosion blinded them, and the lightning struck Sean on his wrist and he slipped, placing his hand on the metal railing. The man who grabbed the handrail at the lowest point died. Sean saved himself but reported third degree burns on his wrist and hand.
The appearance of lightning in a thunderstorm is facilitated by the electrification of clouds. This happens because the thundercloud is very large. If the top of such a cloud is at an altitude of seven kilometers, then its lower edge can hang above the ground at an altitude of half a kilometer. At an altitude of 3-4 kilometers, the water freezes and turns into small pieces of ice, which are in constant motion from rising warm air currents rising from the ground.
How do clouds become electrically charged?
On good weather days there is a potential difference of between 000 and 000 volts between the Earth's surface and the ionosphere. This potential difference is maintained by storm activity. This phenomenon is not fully studied and understood. There are basically two theories to explain why a thundercloud becomes electrically charged. However, before explaining this, it should be kept in mind that the presence cumulus clouds is by far the most favorable situation for the development of lightning strikes, but it is not the only one.
Colliding with each other, the pieces of ice become electrified. Smaller ones are charged "positively", and larger ones - "negatively". Due to the difference in weight, small pieces of ice are at the top of a thundercloud, and large ones are at the bottom. It turns out that the top of the cloud is positively charged, and the bottom is negatively charged.
Lightning can actually occur in other situations, such as sandstorms, snowdrifts, or volcanic dust clouds. You can even talk about "clear sky lightning strikes": on very rare occasions, lightning communicates with an overcast sky, but no precipitation in action and even with a clear sky!
Conventional theory and theory of gravity
According to convective theory, free ions in the atmosphere are trapped by water droplets and then transported within clouds, creating charged regions. However, according to the theory of gravity, negatively charged particles are weaker than positively charged particles and are therefore separated due to gravity. According to this theory, there should be processes of exchange of electric charge between particles of different sizes. It's about about inductive processes or non-inductive processes. It appears that the most important is the non-inductive process between the ice crystals and the hail.
By approaching each other, differently charged areas create a plasma channel through which other charged particles rush. This is the lightning we see. Since all current flows along the path of least resistance, lightning appears zigzag.
This process is explained by the thermoelectric properties of ice. When hot and cold ice particles come into contact, the cooler particles are charged to the mark and the hottest marks are charged. Although this is the most cited theory today, it does not seem entirely satisfactory. The theories are still too speculative, and there is a need for further measurements in the clouds, as well as more precise laboratory experiments. However, as research progresses, it appears that an explanation must be sought in a combination of mechanisms.
Lightning is perhaps one of nature's most impressive phenomena and has always inspired human imagination and interest. The effects created are spectacular, can reduce the number of trees of opium ships scattered across the sea, melt metals, clanging church bells, turning chains into welded iron rods between them.
Thunder
In ancient times, people were equally afraid of thunder and lightning. It is not for nothing that many peoples called the Supreme God the Thunderer. Any lightning strike is accompanied by thunder. In fact, thunder is vibrations in the air. Flying lightning creates strong pressure in front of it, this comes from strong heating. Then the air is compressed again. The sound wave is reflected repeatedly from the clouds, and at this moment thunderclaps occur.
This same heat causes a sudden and explosive expansion of the air, which we perceive as thunder. Not to be confused with lightning, which is the light produced by lightning. You can calculate the approximate distance from a thunderstorm by counting the seconds between the time you see the flash and perceive the thunder. Finally, if this measure increases over time, it is obvious that the storm is moving away from us.
Understanding that lightning is nothing more than electrical discharges between electrostatically charged areas of opposite polarities, it is not surprising that there are three main types of lightning. Lightning Lightning; Lightning cloudy cloud; Lightning fast intranote. . Lightning bolts can be downward or upward. The occurrence of one type or the other depends on the geographic location and the presence of tips in the area. Considering the direction of the current, lightning can also be classified as positive or negative.
By the way, by the time interval between a flash of lightning and thunder, you can determine the approximate distance to a thunderstorm. The speed of sound depends on the density of air; you can take its approximate value as 300 meters per second. Having done simple calculations, anyone will get the approximate distance to the raging elements. If the distance to the thunderstorm is very large (at least 20 kilometers), then the sounds of thunder will not reach a person’s ears.
Flash lightning is the least common but the most studied. There are other types of lightning, very rare and rare, about which little is known. Lightning cloud, high atmosphere lightning, also known as red sprites, fire ball or even spherical or ball lightning, extremely rare, not dangerous at all, appears as a sphere of fire, several feet in diameter, dancing for a few seconds, allowing onlookers to glimpse, St. Elmo's fireworks, a varyingly shaped veil of light that forms around the tips of any protruding object . He takes the name of a sailor's patron. . Air is an insulator in the sense that the molecules that form it are generally in a neutral state, and because there is a flow of electricity, the air must be "ionized", i.e. electrons must be broken into molecules, which therefore become positive ions, electrons which are then captured by other molecules to form negative ions.
During a thunderstorm, you should not hide under single trees. There is a very high probability that lightning will strike a tree. It is better to wait out the thunderstorm indoors with the windows closed. If this is not possible, then a thicket of forest is suitable for shelter.
What is thunder? Thunder is the sound that accompanies a lightning strike during a thunderstorm. Sounds simple enough, but why does lightning sound the way it does? Any sound consists of vibrations that create sound waves in the air. Lightning is a huge bolt of electricity that shoots through the air, causing vibrations. Many people have repeatedly wondered where lightning and thunder come from and why thunder precedes lightning. There are quite understandable reasons for this phenomenon.
Phases of a typical lightning rod lightning
For this to happen, there is a need for energy, which, moreover, does not require a thunderstorm. Lightning is an avalanche discharge process, in the sense that it is the same energy created by lightning that ionizes further air particles. As the discharge discharges from the ground, the discharge consists of positive charges, usually from the high point. When they match, the circuit closes, a channel is formed, and a strong electric current is established in the channel itself. At this moment, a powerful reserve discharge brings current from the ground to the cloud, at a speed of 130 million meters per second. Once the ionized channel is created, other lightning strikes can be used with or without additional secondary channels. The total charge accumulated by lightning can reach 5-10 Coulombs.
How does thunder thunder?
Electricity passes through the air and causes air particles to vibrate. Lightning is accompanied by incredibly high temperatures, so the air around it also becomes very hot. Hot air expands, increasing the strength and number of vibrations. What is thunder? These are the sound vibrations that occur during lightning strikes.
As we have already noted, a phenomenon often associated with the release of the first “pilot” discharge is the formation of ionized charge channels opposite sign in the lower part of the cloud, which spread from the ground to the cloud itself or a downward channel to the cloud. These ascending channels are called "rising leaders", can reach the descending channel, helping them close the path, but sometimes they end quickly, without the formation of lightning. Sometimes, however, the ascending channel is strong enough to directly hit the cloud without encountering the descending channel.
Why does thunder not thunder at the same time as lightning?
We see lightning before we hear thunder because light travels faster than sound. There is an old myth that by counting the seconds between a flash of lightning and thunder, you can find out the distance to where the storm is raging. However, from a mathematical point of view, this assumption has no scientific basis, since the speed of sound is approximately 330 meters per second.
Average characteristic data of cloud-ground lightning
Thus, the formation of ascending lightning. He played the role of observer at the regional meteorological center of Friuli Venezia Giulia. Renzo Bellina, teacher, graduated in physics from the University of Trieste. . What happens when we are under a severe thunderstorm?
Flash, boom and lightning strike from clouds that collide with each other. They are very serious problems for those who are close to the effects of this electric fan. If this is the highest potential when it comes to burning, destructive, disgusting everything.
Thus, for thunder to travel one kilometer, it will take 3 seconds. Therefore, it would be more correct to count the number of seconds between the flash of lightning and the sound of thunder, and then divide this number by five, this will be the distance to the thunderstorm.
This mysterious phenomenon is lightning
The heat from lightning's electricity raises the temperature of the surrounding air to 27,000°C. Since lightning moves at incredible speeds, the heated air simply does not have time to expand. The heated air is compressed, and its atmospheric pressure increases significantly and becomes from 10 to 100 times higher than normal. Compressed air rushes out from the lightning channel, forming a shock wave of compressed particles in each direction. Like an explosion, fast-moving waves of compressed air create a loud, booming burst of noise.
The effect of an electrical discharge on a person is to produce deep burns at the point where the current passes. Death occurs either due to cardiac arrest or respiratory paralysis. It was also found that in last years There has been a decrease in mortality due to lightning strikes.
If each of us were in the middle of a storm and saw lightning in the clouds, and 9 seconds later he heard thunder, we could calculate the distance separating him from where the lightning struck. This huge difference allows us to say without much error that lightning is visible precisely at the moment when lightning strikes. Then the rumble of thunder arrives later. From the speed of sound values we've seen, it takes about 3 seconds to penetrate one kilometer in the air. Calculating the time interval between the flash and the rumble, we will have an approximate distance of about 3 km.
Based on the fact that electricity follows the shortest path, the predominant number of lightning strikes are close to vertical. However, lightning can also branch, as a result of which the sound color of the thunder roar also changes. Shock waves from different lightning forks bounce off each other, and low-hanging clouds and nearby hills help create the continuous rumble of thunder. Why is there thunder? Thunder is caused by the rapid expansion of air surrounding the lightning path.
What causes lightning?
Lightning is an electric current. Inside a thundercloud high in the sky, numerous small pieces of ice (frozen raindrops) collide with each other as they move through the air. All these collisions create an electrical charge. After some time, the whole cloud is filled with electrical charges. Positive charges, protons, form at the top of the cloud, and negative charges, electrons, form at the bottom of the cloud. And as we know, opposites attract. The main electrical charge is concentrated around everything that protrudes above the surface. These could be mountains, people or lonely trees. The charge goes up from these points and eventually combines with the charge going down from the clouds.
What causes thunder?
What is thunder? This is the sound caused by lightning, which is essentially a stream of electrons flowing between or within a cloud, or between a cloud and the ground. The air around these streams heats up to such an extent that it becomes three times hotter than the surface of the Sun. Simply put, lightning is a bright flash of electricity.
This stunning and at the same time terrifying spectacle of thunder and lightning is a combination of dynamic vibrations of air molecules and their disruption through electrical forces. This magnificent show once again reminds everyone of the powerful force of nature. If you heard the roar of thunder, lightning will soon flash; it is better not to be outside at this time.
Thunder: Fun Facts
- You can judge how close the lightning is by counting the seconds between the flash and the clap of thunder. For every second there are about 300 meters.
- During a large thunderstorm, seeing lightning and hearing thunder is a common occurrence; thunder during snowfall is very rare.
- Lightning is not always accompanied by thunder. In April 1885, five lightning bolts struck the Washington Monument during a thunderstorm, but no one heard the thunder.
Be careful, lightning!
Lightning is a rather dangerous natural phenomenon, and it is better to stay away from it. When indoors during a thunderstorm, you should avoid water. It is an excellent conductor of electricity, so do not shower, wash your hands, wash dishes or do laundry. Do not use the telephone, as lightning may strike external telephone lines. Do not turn on electrical equipment, computers and household appliances during a storm. Knowing what thunder and lightning are, it is important to behave correctly if suddenly a thunderstorm takes you by surprise. You should stay away from windows and doors. If someone is struck by lightning, they need to call for help and an ambulance.