Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-07-04
MOTORS DO NOT ATTRACT
LIGHTNING IN STORMS
Drawing on OF Electric Fluid
Theory Explained by Garrett
T.. Scrviss, Scientist.
ny GAI,I,Irr T.. sI:l,vIss

What is the best ANA safest thing
TO do when driving an auto ON Coun-
try roads In thundecstorms and
lightning? Is ii best to keen mov-
ing or should one shut Off the pow
err Does the running OF the motor
storm, while driving an auto.
should Keep going until a con-
magnetic might be affected. but do
not believe that there would bc any
Greater danger Of being 'Btruc.S By,
tion than while IL Was startling still.
Naiiroau trains and trolley cars do
know Of no evidence tending to. show
that they invite lightning strokes.
Bcing connected with the rails and
wires they have. perhaps. some adj
have reader means to get rid Of
any electric charge tending to ac
u Is Imaginable that the motion Of
the object may have II tendency TO
prevent such accumulation; not. OF
course. because a machine. however
speedy. can run away, from liEh',,
ming. but because the continual
chang cha ,oco Of piasS nay iq,sris,e Win
formation Of a charge.
,y,, Hest Lightning shelter.
there are differences Of opinion. aris-
ing from the imperfect stat. Of our
knowisdse eoncrrnins the, precise
points where lightning bolts" strike.
The entire subjeG; is Involved in
icai terms. based upon Theoretical!
conclusions and differences. and often
serving no other purpose than 70
seems To occur. THUS we sperk Of
iish'n!ns "str!kinf." but tho word
may b. very far from expressing
M lt o. .
IL cer,aiply rot bolt" So, too.
% araw snsah orr OF Al. ish1n!nfaHa as
clouds
This is another phrlse that mere
~ tells what apLears 70 hnnppen. or,
sense. Just as Is tn" worI current"
and the word Rowing when sacnk-
Ing Of electricity IN motion. ;.ven
ton" liz AN adaptation intended to
snnpiy mental hgur. OF process
Drnwinr-oG FIuid.
mother Chicago correspondcn,, re-
tGrf1nE 10 H. commonly ns:d agal?sy
fluid" supposed 70 b. cTccia! by n
,igh,minr-rad. ,susr%sts that the pub.
ally. and that what really happens s.
that az the charl(cd clOIi appruachrs
building protected by u iiehtninS
the rod. and the rod being pointed.
and the density of charge Drine
charge escapes rapidly into the air
ana ionlzcs the air. The ionization
Is caused by the intense charE. on
the. point causing many adjacent
molecules Of the air to lose AN cleo
trOn
This leaves these molecules posi-
attach themselves to neutral mole
culcs and this charges them mega;
the charged molecules are. called long;
one set OF these ions is attracted
to the lightnine-rod. while the other
che opposite 10 the charge on the
cloud and Elves w its charges TO
IL, thereby ncu;ralizing the charge
lightning rod protects = building. not
because conducts lightning To the
ground, hut because il prevents the
formation Of powerful charges In the
vicinity OF the building.
Eirr,rnn Theory Applicable.
Mi THIS Is very Interesting. since II
conducts us into the wonderful field
Of modern research concerning the
nature Of electric action. and Il, is
DRY VIII eventually lead 10 the in
vention Of some more effective or
more convenient means of lightning
control than We now possess.
auto cauch, out in a thundcrstorm
ana the question OF the best shelter
Opinions differ as TO the relative dan
ger OF being In the open and being
under shelter OF trees. An isolated
tree has generally beer regarded as
Offering an "attraction' for lightning
and there seems TO be statistical cvi-
uencc that such trees are more La
bic TO be struck than trees assembled
In dense groups. But there is less
evidence 10 favor the View that per-
sons IN positions in roads or fields
are in special danger.
l.
under tree, who would probably
have escaped harm II they had been