LIGHTNING AND THUNDER
BY JAKE M
What is lightning
Lightning is an electrical charge that forms inside clouds. You may of heard and saw lightning before. Lightning is extremely dangerous and can be scary to some people. Lightning is formed, when two frozen raindrops collide in the air. This makes an electrical charge and after a while the whole cloud is filled with electricity. Then all the electric charge meet up! And this is what lightning is!
LIGHTNING FACTS
- A single bolt of lightning can release up to 500 million volts of electricity!
- Each bolt is around 27,000° ! That is around three times hotter than the sun!
- Its is extremely rare to be hit by lightining. You have a 1.6 million chance.
- Scientists think that lightning have played a part in the making of living organisms.
- Lightning is dangerous. About 2,000 people are killed worldwide by lightning each year.
HOW TO SATY SAFE DURING LIGHTNING
Look for shelter, go indoors but not in a tent.
If your outside, crouch down.
Dont stand near trees or poles.
Dont touch umbrellas of golf clubs.
Dont talk on the phone.
Unplug all electrical devices.
If somone has been hit by lightning, call and ambulance.
THUNDER
Thunder is actrully made from lightning. When a lightning bolt travels from one cloud to another, its makes a hole in the air. One the lightning is gone, the air collapses through the hole and makes a sound we haer as thunder. Light travels faster that sound so we always see lightning first.
FACTS ABOUT THUNDER
- The sound of thunder can be anything from a small crack to a large rumble.
- Astraphobia is the fear of thunder and lightning.
- 1,800 thunderstorms occur across our planet every day.
- Lightning does not always create thunder.
- Thunder travels 1.6 km (1 mile) in 5 seconds.