Lightning

[KA4HJH]

>Lightning is DC, but usually there are many strokes at one time and 
>they do not have to have the same polarity...
>
>H^)  harry

Clouds are positively charged, so the current in a ground strike 
usually flows from earth to cloud. The "feeler", however, usually 
travels down from the cloud to the ground.

Got a kite handy, Harry? I saw this experiment on TV once done by 
some old dude wearing these kooky glasses...


>Rory McDonald wrote:
>
>>  I just saw an interesting piece on Lightning striking humans on CNBC and
>>  made me wonder-is Lightning AC or DC? I know that the voltages can be huge.
>>  Some woman on the show got hit 3 times in her lift and lived to tell the
>>  tale-yikes!
>  > Rory


You're talked pulsed DC here, with pretty fast risetimes. Combine 
that with the high voltage potential and you have a current source 
that can worm its way into all sorts of odd places. And then there's 
the current available. Enough to melt/blast/fry everything in its 
path.


If she was actually INSIDE a lift that was a good place to be. The 
fellow who had the world's record for being hit by lightening was a 
Park Ranger near here (Shenadoah Valley of Virginia). Eight confirmed 
strikes! Once while sitting inside a vehicle!

The anxiety got so bad he killed himself...


For those who insist on some DIY content check out "Things to do with 
a 25000 Joule capacitor..." and  "Alien Capacitor Autopsy" at

http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Hangar/6160/new.html


-- 
Terry Bowman, KA4HJH
"The Mac Doctor"