What causes lightning to strike?

Question

I know (or have been told) that lightning is attracted to metal...but are lightning strikes random? A teenager was recently struck and killed by lightning while running into his house. Was this just random or what might have caused the lightning to strike him? Can lightning come in through a window into a house? Thanks for your answers...I must have missed this in science class :)

Answer 1

Lightning is produced in thunderstorms when liquid and ice particles above the freezing level collide, and build up large electrical fields in the clouds. Once these electric fields become large enough, a giant "spark" occurs between them, like static electricity, reducing the charge separation. The lightning spark can occur between clouds, between the cloud and air, or between the cloud and ground. As in the photo above, cloud-to-ground lightning usually occurs near the boundary between the updraft region (where the darkest) clouds are, and the downdraft/raining region (with the lighter, fuzzy appearance). Sometimes, however, the lightning bolt can come out of the side of the storm, and strike a location miles away, seemingly coming out of the clear blue sky. As long as a thunderstorm continues to produce lightning, you know that the storm still has active updrafts and is still producing precipitation. The temperature inside a lightning bolt can reach 50,000 degrees F, hotter than the surface of the sun. Objects that are struck by lightning can catch on fire, or show little or no evidence of burning at all. Lightning is an atmospheric discharge of electricity, which typically occurs during thunderstorms, and sometimes during volcanic eruptions or dust storms.[1] In the atmospheric electrical discharge, a leader of a bolt of lightning can travel at speeds of 60,000 m/s, and can reach temperatures approaching 30,000 °C (54,000 °F), hot enough to fuse silica sand into petrified lightning, known scientifically as glass channels or fulgurites which are normally hollow and can extend some distance into the ground .[2][3] There are over 16 million lightning storms every year.[1]

Lightning can also occur within the ash clouds from volcanic eruptions, or can be caused by violent forest fires which generate sufficient dust to create a static charge.[1][4]

How lightning initially forms is still a matter of debate:[5] Scientists have studied root causes ranging from atmospheric perturbations (wind, humidity, friction, and atmospheric pressure) to the impact of solar wind and accumulation of charged solar particles.[6] Ice inside a cloud is thought to be a key element in lightning development, and may cause a forcible separation of positive and negative charges within the cloud, thus assisting in the formation of lightning.

Answer 2

electricity ...

Answer 3

quick and easy. when you have hot and cold air .. the molecules in the clouds rub against each-other [hot molecules go up cold go down] and this makes friction. it builds up electrons [electricity] then when it is so strong the cloud shoots it out. and when stuff get hit by lighting little electrons come off lets say a tree and slowly rises to the cloud then when the clouds electrons can reach it a huge bolt of lighting goes through the path they have made. oook maybe that wasn't so quick and simple lol but hope that explains it

Answer 4

Well lightning really is a funny thing. The real reason why lighting strikes is that its basically like a gigantic static spark. When there are enough negative and positive particles that build up in the air, up in the clouds and on the ground, then this will cause the lightning strike to occur. Since metal is full of charged particles, that is why it attracts lighting. Also, usually the tallest object (whatever it may be) in  a given area will be more prone to be hit by lightning since the particles are closer to each other. That is why when people walk on a beach or in a flat area, they are the tallest object and why they are more likely to be hit, especially if they have an object that contains metal, like a bat or an umbrella, and that is why if you are in a flat area, and lightning strikes, you should lay flat on the floor. So,  that teenager that got hit, he was probably the tallest object besides the house, and he most likely had some metallic objects on him. Or, lightning struck his house, and a branch of the lightning bolt hit him.

And I highly doubt that lightning can come inside a house through a window unless the window is open. When lightning strikes a house, it is most likely to hit the roof, and if it does hit where a window is, it is going to hit the base of the window on the outside part, and this has happened where I live. But, if your window is open, a stray part off the lightning bolt may actually go through an open window, so it is best to have your windows shut during a thunderstorm.

And overall, lightning is usually random during a thundestorm, but like I said, lightning is more likely to hit a the tallest objects in an area, especially if its made of metal. That is why tall buildings have lightning rods, and lightning rods are made of metal, so that way the lightning travels through a cable into the ground, so that way the building doesn't get damaged and that way it minimizes the chance of the building catching fire.

Answer 5

the reason why lightning strikes is becuase of the postive and niegative energies.

Answer 6

Lightning is a sudden discharge of electricity between charged regions of thunderclouds and the ground. Only about 25 percent of lightning strikes are cloud-to-ground. The rest are either cloud-to-cloud or intracloud

Lightning USUALLY strikes the tallest object. It makes sense that the tallest object is most attractive, because it is the easiest path for the lightning to take.

Cloud-to-ground lightning can kill or injure people by direct or indirect means. The lightning current can branch off to a person from a tree, fence, pole, or other tall object.

There are three main ways lightning enters homes and buildings: (1) a direct strike, (2) through wires or pipes that extend outside the structure, and (3) through the ground. Regardless of the method of entrance, once in a structure, the lightning can travel through the electrical, phone, plumbing, and radio/television reception systems. Lightning can also travel through any metal wires or bars in concrete walls or flooring.

Answer 7

Lighting will take the fastest route to the ground, highly unlikely to go through a house. Getting struck by it, is just bad luck.