To understand exactly what lightning is, we must recall a fact we know about electricity. We know that things become electrically charged – either positively or negatively. A positive charge has a great attraction for a negative one. As the charges become greater, this attraction becomes stronger. A point is finally reached where the strain of being kept apart becomes too great for the charges. A discharge takes place to relieve the strain and make the two bodies electrically equal. This is exactly what happens in the case of lightning. This discharge follows the path which offers the least resistance. That is the reason why lightning often zigzags. Moist air is only a fair conductor of electricity which is why lightning often stops when it starts raining.

Fact File

The electrical nature of the nervous system was discovered after Italian scientist Galvani noticed how frogs’ legs twitched when an electrical current was applied to the nerve.

 

Picture Credit : Google