What is lightning?

Question

1. What is lightning?

2. Why should lightning rods be pointed rather than round?

Please provide as much information as possible from a scientific point of view, about these questions and your sources used. Thank you so much for all answers.

Answer 1

rods  are  pointed  to  attract  Lightning

Answer 2

Lightening is release of negatively and positively charges of static electricity. Positive charges build up at the top of the thunderstorm cloud while negative charges build up at the bottom of the cloud, the groung becomes positively charged and lightening flases between the cloud and the ground to discharge its electrical charge. (hope that answers your first question) i am not to sure on your 2nd question.

Answer 3

1.   Lightning is simply a bolt of electricity that is caused when 2 storm clouds keep rubbing together. It is the same principle as static electricity between either the 2 clouds or a cloud and the ground.

2.  Lightning rods are pointed to get as close to the sky as it can get to better attract the lightning.

Answer 4

Lightning is what kicks your @ss if your not careful. I really have no idea why rods needs to be pointed.

Answer 5

well, lightning is simply positive and negative particles aligning in a way that electricity is created, thus creating lightning, and as for lightning rods, I suppose it doesnt matter whether its round or pointed, having it round just wastes metal I guess

Answer 6

As others have mentioned, lightning is caused by an electric buildup withing the clouds. Currently, no-one knows exactly how this happens, but there are many theories which try to explain it (some of which have been mentioned already).

As the charges buildup, they tend to repel one another. Since the ground remains neutral, and so the charge will want to dump itself into the ground.

However, it has no clear path, since the air is normally an insulator. Therefore, the charge continues to build until it becomes so great, that the electric field given off by the charges is strong enough to rip electrons off of the air molecules (ionizing them) and allowing electricity to flow through the air, which we see as 'lightning'.

I've never heard of your second question before. But I would assume it has to do with something called 'corona discharge'. Chances are, the finer point would prevent any massive buildup of charge at the tip, and therefore would protect the rod from being melted as lightning tried to pass through it.

Answer 7

Lightning is a flow of positivly charged particles being pulled through the air despite the fact air is an insulator. This type of electirc flow is usually called arcing. The intense heat of the electical flow ionizes the air in front of the bolt bring it to the plasma state of matter. The heat also causes the air to expand rapidly and make a "booming" sound. The lightning rod is a conductor and grounds the electric charge of a ligtning strike thus keeping the building from being damaged. They are pointed because they need to be high, not touching anything important that may also conduct, and be cost effecient (less material than if it were round or square)