How far does lightning travel in water?

ranok_the_evoker

Newbie

Posts: 1

« on: June 29, 2011, 05:45:11 PM »

So lets say in the middle of the ocean a lightning bolt struck the water. How far would the lightning travel before it stopped?


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Neal

Newbie

Posts: 3

Re: How far does lightning travel in water?

« Reply #1 on: November 11, 2011, 01:21:19 AM »

hi, i don't know whether you except my words or not but what i want to say, well first of all lightning oftens sparks upwards not downwards so the sea may not be the recipient of charge at all. Secondly it is true that the effect of lightning depends on the conductivity of the recipient and if you were in the sea with a voltage gradient, then apart from the fact that the gradient over the 2 metres or so of your body length will be minimal, the easiest path for the electricity will be through the salt water not through through you. I have often wondered this as I sail out at sea with a large aluminium mast sticking up towards the thunderclouds and everything I have read says that if lightning were to strike the mast, the worst effect could be disturbance of sensitive electronic equipment but the high voltage would ground direct to sea and people on board the boat would not be part of any electrical circuit. So to answer your question, there is no danger swimming in the Atlantic Ocean during thunderstorms - apart from the sharks that is.


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Buena01

Newbie

Posts: 3

Re: How far does lightning travel in water?

« Reply #2 on: December 02, 2011, 05:10:34 AM »

i have few questions if someone know the answer so kindly share...

Does lighting make a sound before it hits the ground?
Where does lightning come from? Does lightning start from the ground and travel upwards, or does it start from the sky and travel downwards? And why does that happen?
How far can lightning travel in salt water? A friend told me he heard on TV that it can travel 5 miles.
I work for the Safety Department and am concerned about lightning striking close to our building that could travel through the ground and into the building potentially affecting an employee. Will the effective ground provided around the building prevent such an occurrence?
"...a lightning protection system will not attract a bolt of lightning." Does this mean that if you have two arrestors on your roof, 10 to 20 feet apart, that the lightning bolt could come down right between the two arrestors?
On an overcast day last year, we observed from the safety of the house, a ball of light about 15 feet above the ground. It appeared to be a gigantic flash bulb, about 2 basketballs in size. There was no sound and no apparent damage anywhere. Is this lightning?
I've always been worried about flashovers. Can you tell me more about them?
How could lightning have hit a home not as tall as surrounding homes and/or trees and have blown out roof sections near the ventilation jacks?
What are the consequences of indirect lightning?
Where can I find the best photo gallery and information on lightning?


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