Lightning is a super powerful force of nature that can be really dangerous. In this article, we’ll learn what happens when lightning strikes a person, how it works, and how to stay safe during a thunderstorm.
Lightning is like a giant spark of electricity that can destroy things in its path. Even though it might seem rare, some places can have lightning strikes happening up to 100 times every second! That’s about 3 billion strikes every year. But don’t worry too much; the chance of any one person being struck by lightning is pretty low.
Many people think getting struck by lightning is always deadly, but that’s not true. About 90% of people who get struck survive, although they might get hurt badly. Lightning carries a lot of energy, between 1 and 10 billion joules, which is enough to keep a light bulb on for around three months! When this energy goes through a person’s body, it can mess up the heart’s rhythm and cause it to stop. It can also cause seizures, breathing problems, and even brain damage, which might lead to a coma or paralysis.
Lightning is not just about electricity; it’s also super hot! It can reach temperatures of up to 50,000 degrees Fahrenheit, which is five times hotter than the surface of the Sun. This heat makes the air around it expand really fast, creating shock waves that we hear as thunder. If you’re within 30 feet of a lightning strike, you could feel a blast as strong as a 5-kilogram TNT explosion, which might damage your ears and cause hearing loss.
Lightning can also cause damage to the skin and blood. The electric current can make red blood cells burst out of tiny blood vessels, creating a pattern on the skin called Lichtenberg figures. These look like tree branches and are a lasting reminder of the lightning strike.
To stay safe from lightning, the best thing to do is stay indoors during a storm. If you’re outside, avoid standing under trees, near water, or in open spaces. Try to find shelter in a building or a car as quickly as you can.
Knowing how dangerous lightning can be and how to protect yourself is really important when there’s a storm. Remember, the fear of lightning is called keraunophobia, and the saying “lightning never strikes twice” isn’t true—lightning can strike the same place more than once. Stay safe and smart during thunderstorms!
Lightning Experiment: Create your own mini lightning! With the help of an adult, use a balloon and a metal spoon to demonstrate static electricity. Rub the balloon on your hair to create static electricity, then bring it close to the spoon. Watch as the spoon is attracted to the balloon, similar to how lightning is attracted to objects. Discuss how this relates to real lightning and why it’s important to stay away from metal objects during a storm.
Weather Observation Journal: Keep a weather journal for a week. Each day, note down the weather conditions and any thunderstorms you observe. Draw pictures of the clouds and describe the sounds you hear. If you see lightning, count the seconds between the flash and the thunder to estimate how far away the storm is. Remember, for every 5 seconds, the storm is about 1 mile away. Discuss how this helps you understand the safety precautions needed during thunderstorms.
Math and Lightning: Let’s do some math with lightning! If lightning strikes about 100 times every second, calculate how many times it strikes in one minute. Use this information to discuss why it’s important to be aware of lightning safety. Also, if a lightning strike carries between 1 and 10 billion joules of energy, how many light bulbs could you power for a day with 1 billion joules if each bulb uses 60 watts? Remember, 1 watt is equal to 1 joule per second.
