Is the Build-up of Charge a Physical or Chemical Process.
 

I've never quite understood the basics of charge production between cloud
layers and between clouds and Earth.

Is charge actually produced on the surfcae of droplets when vapor condenses?
Is iy caused by the physical movement of dry air across droplet surfaces?

Does anyone really know?

Is the Build-up of Charge a Physical or Chemical Process.
 

it's probably both :)




Op Fri, 12 Dec 2003 21:26:43 +0000 (GMT) schreef Rodney Blackall
:

In article , Robert RB@..
wrote:
I've never quite understood the basics of charge production between
cloud layers and between clouds and Earth.

Welcome to the crowd.

Is charge actually produced on the surfcae of droplets when vapor
condenses? Is iy caused by the physical movement of dry air across
droplet surfaces?

Breaking of hydrogen bonds is probably important as is the splitting of
freezing supercooled droplets and the breaking of ice crystals.

Does anyone really know?

Probably not!

Is the Build-up of Charge a Physical or Chemical Process.
 

On Fri, 12 Dec 2003 21:26:43 +0000 (GMT), Rodney Blackall
wrote:

In article , Robert RB@..
wrote:
I've never quite understood the basics of charge production between
cloud layers and between clouds and Earth.

Welcome to the crowd.

Is charge actually produced on the surfcae of droplets when vapor
condenses? Is iy caused by the physical movement of dry air across
droplet surfaces?

Breaking of hydrogen bonds is probably important as is the splitting of
freezing supercooled droplets and the breaking of ice crystals.

Does anyone really know?

Probably not!

I'm surprised that this still seems to be true.

It is hard to see how a physical process occurring at high altitudes can result
in a high potential difference been clouds and Earth.

I was under the impression that raindrops falling through dry air, built up a
potential, presumably positive. If droplets lose electrons, these would be
transported somewhere else, probably upwards. That explains potentials between
cloud layers but not between clouds an earth.

Does this potential form only after charged raindrops reach the ground?
Hardly. Often lightning strikes occur well before any rain falls - so that
theory doesn't stand up.