Lightning in reality.

Everyday there are about 8 million lightnings produced by numerous thunderstorms. They occur in subtropical and tropical areas and 98 per cent of those are harmless, but in some cases they are the reason for a lot of accidents. Lightnings might be dangerous for planes and buildings, where there can cause a fire, but what people fear the most is a thunder flash hitting them. Once it strikes a person high charged lightning is a deadly one. Once in a while they go through electric wires and do some damage inside, but this is rather seldom.

Lightnings can be also a source of good, especially for farmers. A thunder has a big heat storage capacity and when it strikes it produces very high temperature, which causes oxygen and nitrogen particles to bound. Such compounds are called nitrates and when they fall down on the ground with rain they increase fertility of soil.

 It has been know for decades that the lightnings strike the tallest object in their range. Knowing the basis of electric theory we can easily explain why is it happening so. A thunder is a discharge of particles between the ground and clouds. Therefore to overcome the high resistance of air a lightning seeks for the shortest way to bridge the gap. That is why a lightning always shoots the tallest object in the area. When a person stands in an open field it is very possible that he or she will be a victim. Also trees are common targets for the lightnings. Due to low conductivity of wood a thunder usually splashes on the sides of the tree. This is why it is so dangerous to hide under a tree during a thunderstorm.