lighting

Lightning is a natural electrical discharge that occurs during storms, caused by the buildup of electrical charge in clouds. This charge leads to a difference in electrical potential between the cloud and the ground or between clouds. When the difference becomes large enough, it creates a visible flash of light—a bolt of lightning. Accompanying thunder is the sound produced by the rapid expansion of heated air from the lightning’s intense heat. Lightning can strike in various forms, including forked, sheet, or ball lightning, and it plays a vital role in the Earth’s atmospheric chemistry by producing nitrogen compounds.