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Name:  hasinoff
Status: N/A
Age: N/A
Location: N/A
Country: N/A
Date: 1999
Question:
What is lightning? How is it caused?

Replies:
Lightning is the result of the separation of electical charges that can occur in clouds. The process is not completely understood, but negative ions collect near the bottom of clouds and positive ions near the top. The positive and negative ions attract each other. If enough of them collect in a cloud lightning will strike between the top and the bottom of the cloud. The negative ions at the bottom of the cloud also attract positive charges in the earth's surface. This causes lightning strikes between the ground and the cloud.

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