When it is raining, someone must have told you to turn off your mobile phone or stop using it. If you ask why, the answer will be “you will get hit by lightning”. Most of us believe the same. I have been told many times to stop using mobile phone when it is raining. Newspaper articles about people who got hit by lightning acts as a proof of the statement. So let us have a look at the fact and the fiction.
WHAT IS LIGHTNING?
Lightning is the electrical discharge caused by an imbalance of charge. So what we see as lightning is the discharge of charge formed in the cloud. Small bits of frozen raindrops bumps into each other as they move around. This action causes the creation of charges in the cloud. Turbulent storm within the clouds separates the charges. It is these charges which will be discharged. Lightning can happen within the cloud, between the clouds, cloud to air, cloud to ground. One bolt of lightning can contain up to one billion volts which can heat the air around it to a temperature thrice or more hotter than the sun’s surface temperature.
HOW LIGHTNING STRIKES.
Dig a small hole on the ground and fill water until it overflows. Now observe the flow of water. Is it only to one direction? No. Is it flowing all around? No. Water finds a channel for smooth flow. This is the exact phenomenon in lightning as well. The unbalanced charges need to get discharged. Here comes the first outbreak of charges commonly known as ‘step leaders’. The step leaders will go out to find smooth channel for the massive charge to get discharged. As you know air has comparatively higher resistance. So the step leaders make different path for progression. Mean time an upward leader arises from the ground due to the polarity of the step leader. When these two meet, a channel is created for the complete discharge. Then thousands of millions of volts take this channel to ascend hence by creating a reverse stroke .This is how lightning strikes.
On ascending, if the step leader find a channel less resistive, then it will shift to latter. This is the exact reason why tall buildings and trees are having higher chance to get struck by this discharge. If the lightning strikes electric post or any such systems, the entire charge can travel to the end point. This is why we are being advised to remove the connection of appliances which are wired.
MOBILE PHONE AS WE KNOW.
Mobile phones are wireless devices. Many people believe that the connection that the device is having with cellular towers access conduction for the lightning current. This is not how the mobile devices work. We are bathed in a sea of electromagnetic signal coming from the cellular towers. If the electromagnetic field have a higher potential to attract lightning then we are all at risk even if we are not using mobile phone. Wireless devices are not grounded so they are not lightning rods of any kind as it is assumed. This myth of mobile phone and lightning have originated because of the increase risk of lightning when using a land line.
So next time when it rains make sure that your land lines, electric appliances etc are disconnected. Avoid places with higher elevation ,avoid being near to water bodies, avoid standing below a tree. Stay away from metallic objects. You can use your mobile phone even at the time of lightning. If you get struck by lightning while using a mobile phone that means you are at the wrong place at the wrong time. You can’t blame your mobile phone.
Have a look at these interesting articles on lightning:
https://shasthrasnehi.com/longest-lightning-duration/
https://shasthrasnehi.com/discover-the-inner-life-of-lightning-from-station/
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