BALL
LIGHTNING – SCI & TECH
News:
Unveiling the Mysteries
of Ball Lightning: Is It Real?
Ball
lightning:
●
Ball lightning is otherwise called globe lightning, it is one of the most
rare and mysterious forms of lightning
usually associated with thunderstorms.
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It’s a ball of luminosity that usually
occurs near the impact point of a flash and moves horizontally at a speed of a
few centimeters per second. These balls are said to be plasmas.
○
Plasma
is a completely ionized state of matter, at high temperature, in which positive
and negative ions freely move about.
●
It can penetrate closed windows, is usually accompanied by a hissing
sound, and has a lifetime of several seconds. The colour is quite variable and
the ball often ends with an explosion. Though it is not usually destructive.
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It occurs at times of intense electrical activity in the atmosphere.
●
It has not been produced in the
laboratories by the scientists.
Possible
Causes of Ball Lightning
●
Ground
Strike Theory: Some scientists propose that ball
lightning may result from ground strikes, initiating chemical reactions between
oxygen and vaporized soil elements. This process creates ionized air or plasma,
resembling phenomena like St. Elmo's Fire.
●
Glass-Related
Hypothesis: Another theory suggests that ball
lightning might form due to the buildup of atmospheric ions on glass surfaces,
creating an electrical field capable of generating discharges.
●
Microwave
Radiation: An alternative theory posits that ball lightning
could be linked to microwave radiation produced when lightning strikes the
Earth's surface, potentially encapsulating it in a plasma bubble.