What happens when lightning strikes a powerlines?

[GrandMasterK]

They are higher than most things in suburban areas, and they have those giant towers holding them up, and they are all over the place. One would figure that they get struck by lightning often. So, what happens when.....

 

1. One of the towers gets struck?

 

2. One of the lines gets struck?

 

Also

 

3. Why don't those poles on top of sky scrappers ever melt from being struck?

 

4. How does a man get struck by lightning and not get burned?

 

5. How much more likely am I to get struck by lightning if I stand directly under a very lightning active thunderstorm in the middle of a flat and wide open field with a 20ft pole in my hand sticking int he air?

 

6. Will lightning ever drag? Example: It strikes the ground and is connected just long enough for the motion of the storm cloud to drag the bolt along the ground a short distance.

 

7. Why wasn't the lightning that struck my neighbors house and destroyed their chimney distinguishably loud from most of the other thunder?

[Glider]

They are higher than most things in suburban areas, and they have those giant towers holding them up, and they are all over the place. One would figure that they get struck by lightning often. So, what happens when.....

 

1. One of the towers gets struck?

The charge goes to earth (pylons are earthed).

 

2. One of the lines gets struck?

There is a surge, but the charge is taken out at the next relay.

 

Also

 

3. Why don't those poles on top of sky scrappers ever melt from being struck?

They do, but not completely. Depending on its intensity the lightning can scorch the conductor, or melt a bit of it, but they won't completely destroy it. Lightning conductors are designed to take the bolt. They, and the earthing straps that take the charge to earth are designed to be large enough to conduct the charge to earth with low enough resistance to avoid melting.

 

4. How does a man get struck by lightning and not get burned?

They usually do get burned. It's one of the signs that an animal or human was struck; a burn at the strike site, and a burn line down to earth. In the extremely rare cases where there is no burn, it's because, for some reason, the resistance through, or over the body was low enough not to cause a burn.

 

5. How much more likely am I to get struck by lightning if I stand directly under a very lightning active thunderstorm in the middle of a flat and wide open field with a 20ft pole in my hand sticking int he air?

Very much more. I wouldn't advise it.

 

6. Will lightning ever drag? Example: It strikes the ground and is connected just long enough for the motion of the storm cloud to drag the bolt along the ground a short distance.

Unlikely. Lightning takes the path of least resistance between two points. Having leaped that gap, it will tend to maintain the connection between those points for as long as there is sufficient potential (which is a very short time), even if the points are moved (you can see this in artificial lightning).

 

7. Why wasn't the lightning that struck my neighbors house and destroyed their chimney distinguishably loud from most of the other thunder?

There are a number of possible reasons. If you mean why was't it louder than other thunder at that time, then it's most likely because the lightning was all very close.

[YT2095]

and another point about lightning conductors is their main job Isn`t to get hit, it`s to safely dissipate the charge buildup to help prevent a strike.

[Glider]

Good point, well made

[GrandMasterK]

thanks guys