Quote:
Originally Posted by Swimmer
The mast on the boat to the left was hit also. Does a boat actually survive that type of thing LIKWID?
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The boat on the left didn't get hit, but what happened was that when lightening strikes, it doesn't just strike the ground, or a random point.
Because we're talking about opposing charges, most times the ground will send off what are called "step-leaders" that reach up looking for contact with the lightening discharge. When the charge meets with the step-leader, a connection is made and the energy of the discharge is drawn down this connection, creating the visible bolt we see as "lightening. In many cases there are mutiple step-leaders sent skyward, and only one makes a connection. Because of the limited timeframe involved, they are only visible when filmed at high speed. That's why when they say "If you feel your hair stand on end, you are in danger of getting struck". It's the sign that your body is sending up a step-leader.
All those years of watching the Discovery Channel and the Weather Channel do pay off eventually.
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