Describe one promising explanation for how thunderclouds become electrified, that is, acquire a charge separation that often leads to cloud-to-ground lightning strikes.

Question

Want to see more full solutions like this?

Answer 1

Textbook Question

Chapter 7, Problem 1MLA

Describe one promising explanation for how thunderclouds become electrified, that is, acquire a charge separation that often leads to cloud-to-ground lightning strikes.

Expert Solution & Answer

To determine

The process of thunderstorm electrification.

Explanation of Solution

Introduction:

In a thunderstorm, the charging area is the central part where air moves upwards and the temperature is about -15°C to -25°C. This upward air and temperature produce a mixture of small water droplets which are super cooled, small ice crystals, and hail.

The water droplets and the ice crystals move upwards, whereas the hail tends to fall or suspend in the air. During this movement within the storm, the ice crystals and the hail collide with each other. This collision enables the ice crystals to be positively charged and the hail to be negatively charged. This clearly states that the upper of the cloud has positive charges and the middle to lower part has negative charges. The ice crystals which have positive charges move horizontally to some distance at the upper part which is termed as anvil. This anvil is main charging process of the thunderstorm cloud. Normally, ground has negative charge. When thunderstorm cloud approaches the ground, the negative charges in the lower part will get repel with the ground. So, this, in turn, causes the ground to have positive charge, while the anvil, having positive charge cause the ground to have negative charge.

Want to see more full solutions like this?

Subscribe now to access step-by-step solutions to millions of textbook problems written by subject matter experts!

Students have asked these similar questions

A typical commercial airplane is struck by lightning about once per year. When this happens, the external metal skin of the airplane might be burned, but the people and equipment inside the aircraft experience no ill effects. Explain why this is so.

Are you relatively safe from lightning inside an automobile? Give two reasons.

Why is it safe to remain inside a car during a lightning storm?

Answer 2

Textbook Question

Chapter 7, Problem 1MLA

Describe one promising explanation for how thunderclouds become electrified, that is, acquire a charge separation that often leads to cloud-to-ground lightning strikes.

Expert Solution & Answer

To determine

The process of thunderstorm electrification.

Explanation of Solution

Introduction:

In a thunderstorm, the charging area is the central part where air moves upwards and the temperature is about -15°C to -25°C. This upward air and temperature produce a mixture of small water droplets which are super cooled, small ice crystals, and hail.

The water droplets and the ice crystals move upwards, whereas the hail tends to fall or suspend in the air. During this movement within the storm, the ice crystals and the hail collide with each other. This collision enables the ice crystals to be positively charged and the hail to be negatively charged. This clearly states that the upper of the cloud has positive charges and the middle to lower part has negative charges. The ice crystals which have positive charges move horizontally to some distance at the upper part which is termed as anvil. This anvil is main charging process of the thunderstorm cloud. Normally, ground has negative charge. When thunderstorm cloud approaches the ground, the negative charges in the lower part will get repel with the ground. So, this, in turn, causes the ground to have positive charge, while the anvil, having positive charge cause the ground to have negative charge.

Want to see more full solutions like this?

Subscribe now to access step-by-step solutions to millions of textbook problems written by subject matter experts!

Answer 3

Textbook Question

Chapter 7, Problem 1MLA

Describe one promising explanation for how thunderclouds become electrified, that is, acquire a charge separation that often leads to cloud-to-ground lightning strikes.

Expert Solution & Answer

To determine

The process of thunderstorm electrification.

Explanation of Solution

Introduction:

In a thunderstorm, the charging area is the central part where air moves upwards and the temperature is about -15°C to -25°C. This upward air and temperature produce a mixture of small water droplets which are super cooled, small ice crystals, and hail.

The water droplets and the ice crystals move upwards, whereas the hail tends to fall or suspend in the air. During this movement within the storm, the ice crystals and the hail collide with each other. This collision enables the ice crystals to be positively charged and the hail to be negatively charged. This clearly states that the upper of the cloud has positive charges and the middle to lower part has negative charges. The ice crystals which have positive charges move horizontally to some distance at the upper part which is termed as anvil. This anvil is main charging process of the thunderstorm cloud. Normally, ground has negative charge. When thunderstorm cloud approaches the ground, the negative charges in the lower part will get repel with the ground. So, this, in turn, causes the ground to have positive charge, while the anvil, having positive charge cause the ground to have negative charge.

Want to see more full solutions like this?

Subscribe now to access step-by-step solutions to millions of textbook problems written by subject matter experts!

Answer 4

Textbook Question

Chapter 7, Problem 1MLA

Describe one promising explanation for how thunderclouds become electrified, that is, acquire a charge separation that often leads to cloud-to-ground lightning strikes.

Expert Solution & Answer

To determine

The process of thunderstorm electrification.

Explanation of Solution

Introduction:

In a thunderstorm, the charging area is the central part where air moves upwards and the temperature is about -15°C to -25°C. This upward air and temperature produce a mixture of small water droplets which are super cooled, small ice crystals, and hail.

The water droplets and the ice crystals move upwards, whereas the hail tends to fall or suspend in the air. During this movement within the storm, the ice crystals and the hail collide with each other. This collision enables the ice crystals to be positively charged and the hail to be negatively charged. This clearly states that the upper of the cloud has positive charges and the middle to lower part has negative charges. The ice crystals which have positive charges move horizontally to some distance at the upper part which is termed as anvil. This anvil is main charging process of the thunderstorm cloud. Normally, ground has negative charge. When thunderstorm cloud approaches the ground, the negative charges in the lower part will get repel with the ground. So, this, in turn, causes the ground to have positive charge, while the anvil, having positive charge cause the ground to have negative charge.

Want to see more full solutions like this?

Subscribe now to access step-by-step solutions to millions of textbook problems written by subject matter experts!

Answer 5

Textbook Question

Answer 6

Textbook Question

Answer 7

Expert Solution & Answer

To determine

The process of thunderstorm electrification.

Explanation of Solution

Introduction:

In a thunderstorm, the charging area is the central part where air moves upwards and the temperature is about -15°C to -25°C. This upward air and temperature produce a mixture of small water droplets which are super cooled, small ice crystals, and hail.

The water droplets and the ice crystals move upwards, whereas the hail tends to fall or suspend in the air. During this movement within the storm, the ice crystals and the hail collide with each other. This collision enables the ice crystals to be positively charged and the hail to be negatively charged. This clearly states that the upper of the cloud has positive charges and the middle to lower part has negative charges. The ice crystals which have positive charges move horizontally to some distance at the upper part which is termed as anvil. This anvil is main charging process of the thunderstorm cloud. Normally, ground has negative charge. When thunderstorm cloud approaches the ground, the negative charges in the lower part will get repel with the ground. So, this, in turn, causes the ground to have positive charge, while the anvil, having positive charge cause the ground to have negative charge.

Answer 8

Expert Solution & Answer

To determine

The process of thunderstorm electrification.

Explanation of Solution

Introduction:

In a thunderstorm, the charging area is the central part where air moves upwards and the temperature is about -15°C to -25°C. This upward air and temperature produce a mixture of small water droplets which are super cooled, small ice crystals, and hail.

The water droplets and the ice crystals move upwards, whereas the hail tends to fall or suspend in the air. During this movement within the storm, the ice crystals and the hail collide with each other. This collision enables the ice crystals to be positively charged and the hail to be negatively charged. This clearly states that the upper of the cloud has positive charges and the middle to lower part has negative charges. The ice crystals which have positive charges move horizontally to some distance at the upper part which is termed as anvil. This anvil is main charging process of the thunderstorm cloud. Normally, ground has negative charge. When thunderstorm cloud approaches the ground, the negative charges in the lower part will get repel with the ground. So, this, in turn, causes the ground to have positive charge, while the anvil, having positive charge cause the ground to have negative charge.

Answer 9

Expert Solution & Answer

Answer 10

Expert Solution & Answer

Answer 11

To determine

The process of thunderstorm electrification.

Answer 12

Explanation of Solution

Introduction:

In a thunderstorm, the charging area is the central part where air moves upwards and the temperature is about -15°C to -25°C. This upward air and temperature produce a mixture of small water droplets which are super cooled, small ice crystals, and hail.

The water droplets and the ice crystals move upwards, whereas the hail tends to fall or suspend in the air. During this movement within the storm, the ice crystals and the hail collide with each other. This collision enables the ice crystals to be positively charged and the hail to be negatively charged. This clearly states that the upper of the cloud has positive charges and the middle to lower part has negative charges. The ice crystals which have positive charges move horizontally to some distance at the upper part which is termed as anvil. This anvil is main charging process of the thunderstorm cloud. Normally, ground has negative charge. When thunderstorm cloud approaches the ground, the negative charges in the lower part will get repel with the ground. So, this, in turn, causes the ground to have positive charge, while the anvil, having positive charge cause the ground to have negative charge.

Answer 13

Ch. 7 - Describe one promising explanation for how...Ch. 7 - Loud thunder claps frequently accompany lightning...Ch. 7 - What does the term fibrillation mean in connection...Ch. 7 - Prob. 1PIP Ch. 7 - Prob. 2PIP Ch. 7 - Prob. 1MIO Ch. 7 - Prob. 2MIO Ch. 7 - Prob. 1Q Ch. 7 - Prob. 2Q Ch. 7 - Prob. 3Q

Describe one promising explanation for how thunderclouds become electrified, that is, acquire a charge separation that often leads to cloud-to-ground lightning strikes.

Videos

Explanation of Solution

Want to see more full solutions like this?

Chapter 7 Solutions

Additional Science Textbook Solutions