• Question: What causes lightning?

    Asked by megansaurus to Davie, Gemma, James P, James V, Nuala on 28 Jun 2012. This question was also asked by macs123, wahrt001.
    • Photo: Nuala Carson

      Nuala Carson answered on 28 Jun 2012:

      Hey megansaurus,

      Lightening is caused when rain droplets and ice droplets in large thunderclouds bash into one another. they start to build up large electrical charges. When these electrical fields are large enough then you get a spark which we see as lightening. Apparently a lightening bolt can reach 50,000 degrees F which is really really hot so we should probably try and not get hit by one!

    • Photo: Gemma Purser

      Gemma Purser answered on 28 Jun 2012:

      Lightening is mainly caused by negative electrical charges but some can becaused by positive electrical charges building up. You can also have lightening that strikes the ground or there is this weird phenomena called ball lightening too, which is a ball of electrical charge, really strange but very rare!

    • Photo: James Pope

      James Pope answered on 28 Jun 2012:

      Hey megansaurus,

      This video shows some of the lightening from the crazy weather today (thursday 28th)

      http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-18624085

      including the imge of lightening strike in Newcastle!

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