Lightning strike the ground due to opposite charges of static building up within the cloud. Positive charge builds up at the top of the cloud, while negative charge builds up at the bottom. The ground becomes positively charged and lightning flashes between the cloud and the ground to discharge its electrical charge.
Lightning strikes are wondrous sites to see, but they can also be deadly. With a power of 300 kilovolts, lightning can heat the air up to 50,000 degrees Fahrenheit. This combination of power and heat can cause serious damage to the human body. Being struck by lightning may lead to burns, rupturing of the eardrum, eye damage, cardiac arrest, and respiratory arrest. While about 10 percent of lightning strike victims are killed, many of the 90 percent that survives are left with lasting complications.
Lightning is a result of the build-up of electrostatic charge in clouds. The top of the cloud typically becomes positively charged and the bottom of the cloud becomes negatively charged. As the separation of charges increases, the negative charges may jump toward the positive charges in the cloud or toward positive ions in the ground. When this happens, a lightning strike occurs. There are typically five ways in which lightning may strike a person. Any type of lightning strike should be taken seriously and medical attention should be sought if a person is thought to have been struck by lightning.
Of the five ways in which lightning can strike individuals, a direct strike is the least common. In a direct strike, the lightning current moves directly through the body. This type of strike is the most deadly because part of the current moves over the skin, while other portions typically move through the cardiovascular system and nervous system. The heat generated by the lightning causes burns on the skin and the current can damage vital organs such as the heart and brain.
The strike occurs when lightning contacts a nearby object and part of the current jumps from the object to a person. The person is typically in close proximity to the object that has been struck, about one to two feet away. This type of strike often occurs when a person is seeking shelter under tall objects, such as a tree.
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