- #1
Jeremy87
- 21
- 0
I've been reading about how lightning occurs, but I have some questions that are never answered.
1. What exactly is the stepped leader? What in it gives off light before the connection is made and current starts flowing? Are there already some electrons flowing into this newly connected point of higher potential?
2. Why does the step leader split into multiple branches, and why do failed branches light up even more when the connection is made?
3. Why does the stepped leader pause briefly every few meters and then change direction? Also, is each segment completely straight?
4. Similar to #1, what is the "streamer" (the "leader" that starts from the ground and connects with the stepped leader)? Can it also create branches? Does it advance in steps?
5. I've read that positive lightning originates from the top of the cloud where there are positive charges. Where on the ground does it find a negative charge? Why does the lightning still go cloud-to-ground and not ground-to-cloud?
I might come back with more questions based on the answers I get.
1. What exactly is the stepped leader? What in it gives off light before the connection is made and current starts flowing? Are there already some electrons flowing into this newly connected point of higher potential?
2. Why does the step leader split into multiple branches, and why do failed branches light up even more when the connection is made?
3. Why does the stepped leader pause briefly every few meters and then change direction? Also, is each segment completely straight?
4. Similar to #1, what is the "streamer" (the "leader" that starts from the ground and connects with the stepped leader)? Can it also create branches? Does it advance in steps?
5. I've read that positive lightning originates from the top of the cloud where there are positive charges. Where on the ground does it find a negative charge? Why does the lightning still go cloud-to-ground and not ground-to-cloud?
I might come back with more questions based on the answers I get.
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