The Driving Force for Lightning

This video from PBS/NOVA takes viewers behind the scenes into the University of Florida’s Lightning Research Laboratory to see how they are studying what makes lightning.

Video Source: PBS/NOVA | Lightning

What Do You Think?

  • According to the video, how many times does lightning strike the Earth each day?
  • What is the only thing that would be hotter than lightning?
  • What was wrong with the previous theory about how lightning forms in clouds?
  • Briefly explain how rockets are used to study lightning.
  • Summarize the “Runaway Breakdown Theory”. What do scientists think is the energy source for the avalanche of electrons?
  • Summarize the evidence the scientists gathered to support this new theory? How did they do it?