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Is lightning really such a dangerous physical phenomenon?
11.03.2020
For some, lightning is a fastener, for others, it means how quickly you need to run to the store, and for others, it is something that is painted on the radiator grilles of their German car or on Harry Potter's forehead. But for most, lightning is still the same natural phenomenon that occurs during a thunderstorm and is of great interest to photographers. Lightning luxembourg number data is indeed beautiful and fascinating, but most people know about it only enough to stop being afraid of it, as our ancestors did hundreds of years ago. Although, many people are still afraid of it. In this article, we will talk about interesting facts about lightning and what is really worth being afraid of.
Lightning strike statistics
You probably guessed that lightning is very hot, but I'm pretty sure most people didn't even realize that it's five times the surface temperature of the Sun, reaching nearly 30,000 degrees Celsius. Of course, this is an approximate value, but it's definitely several times hotter.
Lightning is an electrical spark discharge in the atmosphere, usually occurring during a thunderstorm, manifested by a bright flash of light and the thunder that accompanies it.
The speed of lightning propagation reaches 56,000 km per second. That is, in just one second it can make almost one and a half revolutions around our planet. At the same time, the average time of the discharge itself is about a quarter of a second, and the average length of lightning is 9-10 kilometers.
Thunderstorms, which “carry” lightning, are much less hasty. They move only 40 km per hour. But every second, 1800 thunderstorms thunder on Earth, and every second, according to various estimates, from 40 to 60 lightning strikes the surface of the planet.
If you thought that lightning, according to the saying, does not strike twice in the same place, then you were mistaken. This is a very common phenomenon. Especially if the thunderstorm is not moving very fast. This opinion was formed precisely because of the rapid movement of thunderstorms. In this case, lightning simply does not have time to strike twice in the same place.
Is it dangerous for a person to be struck by lightning?
There is no definite answer to the question “is it possible to survive a lightning strike?” More precisely, it sounds like “maybe yes, maybe no.” Approximately 25 percent of those struck by lightning die. In fact, this is not so much, if we take into account the peculiarities of this phenomenon. The problem is that in case of survival, there is a risk of serious damage to the organs and nervous system. Among the side effects are memory loss, loss of sensitivity, sleep disturbances, impaired functioning of the sensory organs and constant pain that persists for many years.
It is difficult to find accurate global statistics on lightning strikes in humans around the world, because in some African villages they simply are not kept. But there are statistics for the USA - 200 people per year. According to some estimates, the probability of dying from a lightning strike is one in two million. You can die with the same probability by falling out of bed. What to do with this information, decide for yourself.
Somewhat ambiguous data suggests that men are about 6 times more likely to be struck by lightning than women. Most likely, this is not related to mysticism or what you thought. The most likely explanation is that men spend more time outdoors. Especially in the fields during agricultural work, where they are caught in a thunderstorm.
However, lightning most often strikes people not in the midst of a thunderstorm. According to the US National Weather Service, lightning can reach from a distance of 15 km. Therefore, if you hear thunder, you are already in potential danger.
And don't stand near cows and oak trees. According to signs, near cows the chance of being struck by lightning is higher (logically, because shepherds who could not abandon their herds died), and lightning strikes oak trees more often simply by statistics. There is no such protection against lightning, although some sources contain information that in the middle of the last millennium ladies wore hats with a metal element and a wire dragged along the ground. This is a portable lightning rod.
Is it dangerous for lightning to hit a car, plane, or house?
It's also difficult to give a definite answer here, but if everything is fine with the equipment and there is a lightning rod on the building, then it is most likely safe. There are even statistics according to which lightning strikes airplanes on average every seven to ten thousand flight hours. This is quite common.
In the case of cars, getting hit is also safe. The thing is that the body is essentially a Faraday cage. The charge passes through it and does not harm the person inside. True, electrical equipment can be damaged. In airplanes, things are even more reliable. The fuselage has additional protection elements that conduct the current through it further into the ground. Lightning striking an airplane is not even an emergency. The systems are simply checked and, if everything is fine, the airplane continues to move.
A Faraday cage is a device invented to shield equipment from external electromagnetic fields. It is usually a cage made of conductive material. The cage can conduct current, neutralizing the effects on the equipment inside.
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