Lightning - The Introduction




Lightning is a powerful part of Earth's weather. A single bolt of lightning is hotter than the sun. And in the time it takes to blink, lightning can strike the ground five times. You can learn about these facts and more when you read through this lesson all about one of the most destructive forces of nature. Choose from the following pages:

Static Electricity explains why you sometimes get shocked when you touch things, and explores the mysterious connection between static electricity and lightning.
The Big Spark explains lightning, showing how tiny cloud particles help produce a huge electrical charge.
Thunder is a section about thunder, naturally. Find out why lightning causes thunder, and how you can use thunder to tell how far you are from the lightning bolt.
The Safety section covers lightning safety, from tips on how to avoid being struck to an interactive page where you can choose the best shelter.
Experiments has a bunch of experiments with static electricity, since lightning is too dangerous to experiment with. They're still fun, but they won't fry you.
The Quiz is a test to challenge your knowledge about lightning and thunder. You can take it online, and get an instant grade.
The Teacher's Guide is for educators who want an overview of this lesson, the lesson objectives, and more.