Page 112 - York Global Science 6 - Physical Science

These ideas can help to improve our
understanding of how we can reduce

the damage caused by lightning in a
storm.

In a storm cloud, there is a build-up of
static electricity. This causes a lot of
electric charges in the cloud. These

charges become polarised, which
causes negative charges to collect at
the bottom of the cloud and positive
charges to collect at the top. This also

causes a positive charge on the
ground.
The force that attracts the cloud to the

Earth means that the electrons from
the cloud are discharged to the Earth.

When this happens, we can make the
damage to buildings less by using
a lightning conductor. A lightning

conductor is made of metal and is put
in a higher place than the buildings
around it.

The shape of the conductor means that there are more positive charges at the

end closest to the sky. This attracts the electrons from the storm clouds.
When the two opposite charges meet, a very large number of electrons are

discharged from the cloud. We see this as lightning. The electrons from the
cloud are transferred safely down through the conductor to the ground.

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