Omaha daily bee., 1886-10-03
KINDLiNG LIGHTNING.
How Electricity Accumulatcs
Clouds and Flashes Into Sight.


The observations of meteOrologiSts,
says Science of All, show that the vapor
which asccnds in an invisible state from
the ground carries with it in calm and
fine weather INTO the higher regions of
the air very considerable supply of
positive electricity. Each minute vapor
particle that goes up bears its own por-
ton of the load. When, however, the IN
visible vapor has thus mounted into very
high regions of the air it loses Its inviSi-
bility, and is condensed into visible mist,
as has already been explained in detail.
Numerous particles of the aqueous sub
stance are drawn close together and
grouped into the form of little vehicles
or globules. Each one of these is then a
reservoir or receptacle of electric force
and as more and more watery
vehicles are condensed more and more
electricity is collected in the gathering
mist but each of the water globules is
enveloped by u space of clear air. In Il
drifting cloud the mist specks can be
dscerned floating along with the trans
parent intervals between. The clear air
which lies around the glObules of vapor
then acts as an insulating investment; 1t
imprisons its own part OF the acquired
electrical force IL each separate gloDulc
The cloud is thus not changed as Il
whole, ike continuous mass of metal
with its electricity spread upon its outer
surface. Is is interpenetrateu every
where with the force. 1t is composed of
n myriad of electrified specks, each hay
ing its own particular share of the elec-
trio force, and each acting rs n center OF
electrical energy on its own account. The
electricity which at any one instant re-
sides in the outer surface of n cloud is,
therefore, but comparatively small por-
ton of that which is present in the entire
vaporous mass. That such is the way IN
which electricity is stored in the clouds
has been proved by direct observation.
When a gold electro-meter is placed
in the midst of Il cloud driven along by
the wind, it is seen that the strips of gold
leaf continually diverge and collapse AS
the mass of the cloud passes along
There is an electrical charge acting in all
parts, but tho charge varies in intensity
from place to place accordingly as there
is greater or less condensation of the
particles of VapOr in each particular spot
But the influence externally eXertcd by
the cloud is nevertheless capable of be-
ing raised TO very intense degree, be-
cause 1t is, so TO speak, the sum total or
ontcome of the force contained in the in
Vulnerable internal centres of energy.
1t is no uncommon thing for the elcctri-
cal force emanating from cloud to MAKE
ltSelf felt IN attractions and repulSlOnS
many miles away. Clouds resting upoa
the remote horizon thus frequently pro
duce perceptble effects at distances from
which the clouds themselves cannot be
seen. A electrical cloud hanging mile
above the ground acts inductively upon
that ground with considerable power.
When in the summer time the tempera-
ture of the earths surface is very high,
the ground moist, the air calm and the
sky clear, very copious supplies of vapor
are steamed up from the ground under
the hot sunshine. Clouds, however, begin
at length to gather in elevated regions of
the air out of the abundance of the sup
ply. The free electricity which has been
carried up with the vapor is at first pretty
evenly spread through the clouds; but
after time, as the electrical charge be.
comes more and more intense n power
ful repulsive force is in the end estab-
lished between the spherules of the mist,
and very high degree of tension is nj
last produced at the outer surface of the
cloud, where il is euveloped by insulating
air, until in the end the expansive energy
there becomes strong enough to Occa, ION
on OutburSt from the cloud. The escape
of .he redundant charge then appears 10
an Observers eys rs a flash of lightning
issuing from the cloud Such, i'm its
simple form, is the way in Which light
ming is kindlCu in the Storn-cl