Definition of lightning - What is it, Meaning and Concept

The Latin word relampadare came to our language as lightning .It is the glow generated by a strong> discharge of electricity into the atmosphere.It is important not to confuse with a lightning , which is the electric discharge itself.

Lightning, therefore , is the light emission that accompanies the lightning.In thunderstorms thunders are also heard, whose noise is generated by the wave produced by the lightning when, in its path, heats the air.The lightning strikes never reach the earth's surface, something the rays can do.

Another of the terms associated with lightning is the thunder .Once the lightning has become visible in the sky, a loud noise is heard, which occurs because the air expands when the electric shock passes, and it is this noise that is called thunder.

It should be noted that lightning and thunder occur almost at the same time , although lightning first appears, since light travels faster than sound.It is said that it is possible to calculate how far a person is from a storm, simply by dividing the time between lightning and thunder (in seconds) by the speed of sound, which approximates 330 meters per second.To do this, we must count the seconds that have passed since we see a lightning and perform this division.

The rain, when falling on the Earth , causes a natural evaporation by convection.Thus, while the rain falls, drops rise towards the clouds.At a height of about 2 , 5km , due to the low temperature, ice particles are also generated that, due to gravity, descend.The shock between the ice that falls and the drops that rise due to evaporation results in the formation of an electric field: when charges are transferred, lightning strikes.

Because of the vivacity and the speed with which lightning strikes appear, the term is also used symbolically to name various issues or things that happen quickly or that are sudden .

In this sense, lightning war is known as the military tactic that consists in initiating the attack actions with a bombing and then, almost immediately, continuing with a mobilization of forces to carry out a surprisingly offensive.Before these movements, the enemy force does not have time to organize its defense .

Lightning strikes and lightning are characterized by a deployment that is spectacular for the human being, and this can be seen in the countless mentions they have received throughout the history in all kinds of myths, ranging from the gods of Olympus to modern literature.

On the other hand, many people enjoy observing lightning during the fiercest storms , as that reminds them that nature harbors an impossible force to dominate.Besides, while scientists see a phenomenon, people outside of science experience a spectacle of energy that touches the magic.

It is worth mentioning that lightning, lightning and thunder can also be a cause of terror for some people , especially for children and at night, since the violence of such phenomena activates their imagination and prevents them from being as attentive to the environment as in moments of tranquility.When darkness is interrupted without warning by the powerful light of a lightning, elongated shadows occur during fractions of a second, and these can be interpreted as strange presences for the most susceptible; if this adds to a rumble capable of shaking the Earth, it is hard to imagine a more frightening scenario.