lightening

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From: Gary Alexander Horne (gary.horne@excite.com)
Date: Thu Sep 23 1999 - 09:53:39 PDT 

From: "Gary Alexander Horne" <gary.horne@excite.com>
Subject: lightening
Message-Id: <938105619.19618.4@excite.com>
Date: Thu, 23 Sep 1999 09:53:39 PDT

I don't know if this topic has come up before, but with the spectacular
lightning displays of recent days, it sure has surfaced at my elementary
school.

As I understand it, when storm clouds form, ice crystals develop which have
easily free-able electrons. As the cloud circulates about itself, these
electrons are released into air and water molecules through friction. Since
most of the crystals end up in the upper part of the cloud and water in the
lower part, the cloud is positively charged on top, and negatively charged
on the bottom

So, assuming that is true, why does lightning ever strike the ground? Isn't
there a much closer, positvely charged area (namely the top of the cloud)
available for striking? And for that matter, why doesn't the
electro-magnetic attraction force the water and ice together inside the
cloud?

Anyone know?

-Gary

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