Does lightning strikes twice in one place?

• Do lightning strikes twice in one place?

In the same place lightning strikes. Moreover, usually not twice, but five to seven, sometimes even 15-20. But once rarely strikes. Why?

The first reason: the terrain. Lightning is more likely to hit the tree standing alone than in a nearby sandy mound. Because the electric field strength around the sharp and high conductive objects (Yes, the tree may also conduct electricity due to water content) at the same voltage greater than around flat or spherical. It is on this principle and work lightning rods.

There are cases when the lightning beat standing next to the mast several times. Wherein two adjacent masts of equal height, but made of different materials - wood, metal, - the lightning strike of the latter, since the metal conducts electricity better than wood.

Of course, lightning can strike and a flat surface, but a dangerous place, where the electrical conductivity of the soil more. For example, the lightning rather fall into the swamp than dry soil. Not so long ago, scientists have identified a place on earth where most of the lightning hit.

The second reason that lightning strikes in the same place several times, lies in the peculiarities of its formation. The process begins with a thunderstorm clouds. They develop intense vertical movements. The moisture evaporating from the surface, rises up in the form of droplets. A plurality of such droplets and form a cloud. If the internal temperature is sufficiently low, the droplets freeze, turning into icicles.

When the collision precipitation of a special type - cereals - with drops one positively charged and the other negatively. If two such thunderstorm clouds come close to each other, the charged particles sandwiched between them a channel, whose temperature reaches about 3000 ° C. At this point, we see the lightning. It can also occur in a storm cloud discharge on the ground.

Some time after hitting the charge is restored. Since the vertical movement in the thundercloud strong, this is particularly fast. And the particles are much more profitable to "pass" on the same channel once again, to warm up than the other. The reason - the energy savings.

Protect against lightning simple: during a lightning storm to avoid hills - therefore do not hide under the trees. On the contrary, it is better to stay closer to the ground and did not try to hide behind metal objects. If lightning caught you on the water, it should be as soon as possible to stop at the bank.