John Travoltage - How Lightning Works
Click on the window below in order to download the John Travoltage Activity.
With it, you can see how an electrical charge can get built up before escaping and a spark of electricity. As you move your feet across the carpet (or as pellets of ice move up and down through clouds) an electrical charge is built up. Then, when you touch something else, or when the charge becomes great enough, it suddenly releases it and you end up shocking yourself (or lightning strikes!). This is the same process for how large storms produce lightning (but on a MUCH larger scale!). Shocking, isn't it? ;)
With it, you can see how an electrical charge can get built up before escaping and a spark of electricity. As you move your feet across the carpet (or as pellets of ice move up and down through clouds) an electrical charge is built up. Then, when you touch something else, or when the charge becomes great enough, it suddenly releases it and you end up shocking yourself (or lightning strikes!). This is the same process for how large storms produce lightning (but on a MUCH larger scale!). Shocking, isn't it? ;)
"John Travoltage." PhET. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Nov. 2013. <http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/travoltage>.