2003 Flight Forecast - When Lightning Strikes

History
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Lightning has been thought to be a weapon of mystical or powerful gods. The Greeks were amazed by lightning but feared it as they thought it was hurled by a god named Zeus. The Vikings thought that a god named Thor produced lightning as his hammer struck an anvil while he rode his chariot across the clouds. Early statues of Buddha showed him carrying a thunderbolt that had arrows at each end. Even Indian tribes in North America gave lightning a mysterious origin. They believed that lightning was caused by a mystical bird whose feathers flashed with light. They also thought that the flapping of the wings produced the thunder they heard. Take a look at each of these historical characters and decide if you think their story is FACT or FICTION.

Zeus

Zeus was usually pictured with lightning bolts ready to be thrown.

Lightning has long been feared as a flash of supernatural origins. It was thought to be the great weapon of the gods. The Greeks both marveled and feared lightning, thinking it was being thrown by a god named Zeus.

Artists usually try to show the power of Zeus in their work, by giving him a pose as he is about to throw his bolt of lightning.

Zeus was originally worshiped as a weather god by the Greek tribes. He was best known for the thunderbolts he could throw. It was thought that he controlled thunder, lightning and rain. He was also thought to cause thunderstorms. In Homer's epic poem The Iliad, Zeus sent thunderstorms against his enemies.

Is this fact or fiction? (Highlight the whitespace below to reveal the answers.)

The way the Greeks thought of the god Zeus is FACT. The Greeks, like many ancient people, believed in gods that had magical or mystical powers. Their gods helped them to explain things they didn't understand, like lightning. The information about lightning being thrown or controlled by anyone is FICTION.

Ben Franklin and Lightning

Benjamin Franklin was the first person to design an experiment to prove that lightning was electrical in nature. He had a theory that the clouds were electrically charged and because of that, lightning must also be electrical.

The plan for the first experiment he came up with would have him standing on an electrical stand holding an iron rod in one hand. This he thought would make an electrical discharge between his other hand and the ground. If the clouds were electrically charged then sparks would jump between the iron rod and a grounded wire.

Before Ben actually carried out this experiment he thought up a better way to test his theory. His new idea was to use a kite instead of an iron rod because a kite could reach up higher and be flown anywhere. He tied a metal key to the kite string. Then during a thunderstorm in Pennsylvania in 1752, he flew his kite and sparks jumped from the key to an insulating silk ribbon which he had tied to his hand. Franklin's grounded body conducted the electrical currents from the electric buildup in the storm clouds and he proved his theory. Pictures often show Franklin out in an electical storm flying a kite with a key tied to the kite string. Now you know why.

In addition to showing that thunderstorms contain electricity, by measuring the sign of the charge delivered through the kite apparatus, Franklin was able to infer that while the clouds were overhead, the lower part of the thunderstorm was generally negatively charged rather than positively charged.

Franklin's original experiment was successfully performed in May, 1752, by Thomas Francois D'Aibard of France. Sparks jumped from the iron rod during a thunderstorm. By sucessfully performing the experiment he also helped to prove Franklin's theory.

Is this fact or fiction? (Highlight the whitespace below to reveal the answers.)

The story of Benjamin Franklin and his kite experiment helping to prove that clouds and lightning were electrical in nature are true and considered a FACT.

Tall Tales and Lightning

Lightning played a big part in many tall tales, folk tales, and myths. Perhaps you have heard of some of them. One tale relates how a very brave man rode a lightning bolt and tamed it.

Is this fact or fiction? (Highlight the whitespace below to reveal the answers.)

Tall tales and myths can have some truth in them but any story that tells how people can ride or conquer lightning are pure FICTION.

You need to beware of lightning storms and learn the safety rules like the 30 - 30 rule or the Flash - Bang rule. The Resource Section can take you to the NOAA Lightning Safety page to learn how to keep safe during a storm.