Book 1, Question 70 · Video
Why Is Lightning So Hot? Big Energy in a Tiny Strike!
Lightning is a giant electric current that races through the air in an extremely narrow channel. The page says that channel can reach about 30,000 degrees C (54,000 degrees F). The
Read the full answer →What Crafty Clover says in this video
Intro
Hi! I'm Crafty Clover! Let's discover something amazing. Why is lightning so hot?
The Big Idea
Zap! Lightning is one of the hottest things on our whole planet! Here's the big idea: lightning squeezes a huge amount of electric energy into a very skinny path.
Huge Current
Step one: a huge current in a skinny path. Lightning is a giant electric current. It races through the air in an extremely narrow channel, only about as wide as your thumb. That skinny channel can reach about thirty thousand degrees Celsius!
Particles Slam
Step two: air particles slam, and heat up. The current zips so fast, it makes the tiny particles of air slam into each other like crazy. All that bumping heats the air, super fast! Like rubbing your hands together, times a zillion.
Thunder and Fires
Step three: that punch makes thunder, and can start fires. The sudden heat makes the air explode outward. That's thunder! The heat is so intense, it can dry out plants in an instant, and start wildfires.
A Closer Look
Let's compare how hot lightning is! A lightning bolt can heat the air to about thirty thousand degrees Celsius. The surface of the Sun is about five thousand five hundred degrees. So lightning can be about five times hotter than the Sun's surface. Wow!
Quick Facts
Quick facts! A lightning strike can be hotter than the Sun's surface, but only for a tiny fraction of a second! That's why lightning looks like a quick flash of bright light. A bolt of lightning can stretch for kilometers across the sky. Science is all around you. Keep wondering!
Think Like a Scientist
Now, think like a scientist! From indoors, watch a storm through a window. Notice how brief each flash is. How quick is that bright streak? Try counting. What does that tell you about its power? Stay safe, and keep exploring!
Outro
Lightning is so hot because it squeezes a giant electric current into a super skinny path! Keep asking, keep exploring! Crafty Clover can be found on Amazon Books, Google Bookstore, and Apple Books. Available for purchase or download! Bye for now!