Definition, Forming Process, and Impact

KOMPAS.com – Lightning is a common celestial phenomenon, which is usually followed by rain or thunderstorms.

Lightning is very hot. Its lightning can heat the air around it up to five times hotter than the surface of the Sun.

The heat causes the surrounding air to expand and vibrate rapidly, creating the thunderous thunder, which is usually heard after a flash of lightning.

Definition of lightning and the process of its formation

Lightning is an electrical discharge caused by an imbalance between the storm cloud and the ground or an imbalance within the cloud itself.

During a storm, rain, snow, or ice particles collide within the storm cloud increasing the imbalance between the storm cloud and the ground.

Also read: Tourists Killed by Lightning Strikes in Bogor, How Can Humans Be Struck by Lightning?

Reported from University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR), as the ice crystals high in the thunderstorm cloud flow up and down in the turbulent air, they collide with each other.

Tiny, negatively charged particles called electrons are thrown from some ice and added to other ice when they hit each other.

This separates the positive and negative charges of the cloud. The top of the cloud becomes positively charged, while the bottom of the cloud is negatively charged.

Lightning is one of the oldest natural phenomena observed on Earth. This phenomenon can be seen in volcanic eruptions, nuclear explosions, heavy snowstorms, large storms, and thunderstorms.

Where does lightning occur?

Quoted from National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), most of the lightning flashes produced by storms initially occur in clouds.

Also read: Get to know 4 types of lightning that often occur in Indonesia

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