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DeeZee
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Does lightning mainly just move in a straight line or can it change really quickly? Can it move around objects, like something that's not a good conductor, to get to something that is?
DeeZee said:So does anyone know for sure?
A most interesting article; I was about to recommend it myself. That runaway electron effect seems as if it should have some practical uses if it can be harnessed. (Maybe a better Taser? )GENIERE said:According to an article in the latest issue of Scientific American, authored by Joseph Dwyer (researcher in Florida), the cause of lighting is much different than previously thought.
Lightning can change direction at speeds of up to 220,000 miles per hour, making it one of the fastest natural phenomena on Earth.
The speed at which lightning changes direction depends on various factors such as wind speed, air temperature, and the electrical conductivity of the air.
Yes, lightning can change direction multiple times during a single strike. This is known as "forked lightning" and is a common occurrence during thunderstorms.
In some cases, lightning can reverse its direction completely. This is known as "bolt from the blue" and is a rare phenomenon that occurs when the electrical charge from a thunderstorm travels horizontally through the upper atmosphere before striking the ground in a different location.
The speed of lightning is incredibly fast and can be compared to other natural phenomena such as the speed of sound, which is 767 miles per hour, and the speed of light, which is 670,616,629 miles per hour.