ANSWERS: 7
  • The clouds form when air near the earth's surface is warmed, causing it to rise since warm air rises. Think of a marshmallow in a microwave; as the microwave heats the marshmallow it begins to expand. This is similar to most things, like air. When air heats up it expands and this expanding air has to go somewhere because it is taking up more space, just as the marshmallow does, so this expanding warm air rises. So what does this have to do with the cloud? Well, as the air rises it is losing its heat and cooling. When things cool, they condense; think of the marshmallow again as it cools when you take it out of the microwave (it shrinks, or condenses). In a general sense, to give you a brief idea of how clouds form, when condensation occurs, clouds take shape; you must keep in mind, however, that there is much more involved in cloud formation, but this was just to get you thinking and give a place for the lightning to happen. The most common thunderstorm cloud is a tall cloud which is precipitating, called a cumulonimbus cloud (cumuli- meaning tall, high altitude, and nimbus meaning precipitation). These clouds form when conditions include upward winds, rather moist air, and cooling temperatures. Within this cloud, there are many electrons giving off their charges. The tendency of charges within a cloud is to have positive charges gather toward the upper portion and negative charges in the bottom of the cloud. When the difference between these charges is great enough to overcome the air's natural insulation, which keeps these charges from mixing, a lightning flash can take place. This charge difference builds up to millions of volts before the stoke of lightning takes place. The lightning bolt actually happens because nature tries to maintain equilibrium, a state of balance between all things. This is why the lightning that you see is a discharge of energy in the form of electricity
  • God made it....that was a simple answer ~_^
  • lightning occurs when an cold and warm front meet up, it causes a lot of instability in the air, The cold and warm air meeting up causes updrafts, in the right conditions for this, you the see the anvil shaped, columunimbus clouds. if they build up long enough,you get ice crystals within thes clouds, the ice crystals rub up together and build up charge which gets released as lightning! thunder occurs as lightning heats the air up that rapidly, it breaks the sound barrier, causing the 'BANG!' If you get thunder directly overhead, you will hear it as a CRACK! otherwise, it will rumble as it echoes thru the clouds. I'm looking for someone to help with my fear of thunderstorms by the way!
  • "Lightning is a powerful electrical discharge produced during a thunderstorm. The electric current is very hot and causes thunder. Sometimes it happens between clouds. Sometimes (in the rain) it goes from cloud to ground. If it goes from cloud to ground, it can strike a person. Around 2000 people are struck by lightning each year. Benjamin Franklin was fascinated by lightning and its properties. His curiosity led to breakthrough discoveries, many which are still in practice to this day. It is caused by static charges mainly positive and negative opposite charges coming and repelling each other." Source and further information: http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lightning Further information (not so simple): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lightning
  • Static electricity
  • not sure but its something god does

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