• Question: What causes lightning?

    Asked by to James, Jennifer, Kim, Liam, Ricardo on 22 Jun 2014. This question was also asked by .
    • Photo: Jennifer Stephens

      Jennifer Stephens answered on 22 Jun 2014:

      Hi analazic
      Lightning is created when particles in a cloud collide and build up an electrical charge. Eventually this charge (energy) is discharged as a bolt of electricity between clouds or from one cloud to a point on the earth’s landscape. A bit like when you are wearing a woolly jumper and you touch metal and get a shock. Trees are prime targets for lightning as they are good conductors.

      Don’t believe the saying “Lightning never strikes the same place twice” it’s just not true!

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