The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1886-11-23
How Lightning is KindIed

hOW uI8uUuiIk 10 hiiuioU
The observations of meteorolglsts
show that the vapor which ascends in
an invisible state from the ground car
ries with it, in calm and fine weather,
into the higher regions of the air very
considerable supply of positive cleo
!ricity. Each minute vapor-particle
that goes up bears its own portion OF
the load. When, however, the invisi-
BILE vapor has thus mounted into very
high regions of the air, it loses its in
visibility, and is condensed into visible
mist as has already been explained in
detail. Numerous particles OF the
aqueous substance are drawn close to-
gother, and grouped into the form Of
little vosicles or globules. Each one OF
these is then Il reservoir or receptacle
of electric force, and as more and more
watery vesicles are condensed more and
more electricity is collected in the
gathering mist; but each of the water
globules is still enveloped b. n space
of clear air. In drifting cloud the
mist-specks can be discerned floating
along with transparent intervals be-
tween. Tho clear air which lies
around the globules of vapor then acts
as an Insulating investment; it imprisons
its own part of the acquired electrical
force in each separate globule. The
cloud is thus not charged rs q
whole, like q continuous mass of metal,
with its electricity spread upon its
outer surface. 1t is interpenetrated
everywhere with the force. 1t is COM
posed of myriad of electrified specks,
each having its own peculiar share OF
the electric force, and each acting US Il
center of electrical energy on its own
account. The electricity which at any
one instant resides in the outer surface
of a cloud is, therefore, but compar-
atively small portion of that which is
present in the entirt vaporous mass.
That such is the way in which electri
city is stored in tho clouds has been
proved by direct observation. When Il
gold-leaf electrometci is placed in the
inidst of cloud driven along by the
wind, il 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 the charge varies in in
tcnsity from place to place according
as there is a greater or less condensa-
ton of the particles of vapor in each
particular spot But the influence ex-
ternally exerted by the cloud is never
theless capable of being raised to very
intense degree. because it is, so to
speak, the sum total or outcome of the
force contained in the ipnumerable in
ternal centers of energy.
1t is no uncommon thing for the cleo
trical force emanating from a'cloud to
make itself felt in attractions and repul-
sons many miles away. Clouds resting
upon the remote horizon thus frequent
lv produce preceptlble effects at dis
| lance from which the clouds themselves
cannot be seen. An electrscal cloud
hanging a mile above the ground acts
iuductively upon that ground with
considerable power. When in summer
time the temperature OF the earth's
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 sun
shine. Clouds, however. begin at
length to gather in the elevated re-
gions of the air out of the abundance of
the supply. The free electricity which
has been carried mp with the vapor is
at first evenly spread through the
clouds; but after time, as the electri-
cal charge becomes more and more in
tense, powerful repulsive force is in
| th., opd octo b1ichnd hatwepn fhp spbar-
ules of the mist and very high de-
gree of tension is at last produced at
the outer surface of the cloud, where it
is enveloped in insulating air. until in
the end the expansive energy there be-
comes strong enough to occasion an
outburst from the cloud. The escape
of the redundant charge then appears
n the Observers eye as flash of light
sing issuing from the cloud. Such, in
its simplest form. is the way in which
lightning is kindled in the storm cloud.
Science for AL.