LIGHTNING.

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVIII, Issue 10753, 26 November 1928, Page 6

LIGHTNING.

DON’T WORRY ABOUT Pi',

HOW TO KEEP AWAY DANGER

Anticipating, and perhaps dreading, the severe electrical storms tuat may break during the next few mouths, it may be comforting to know -from (scientuic research, ttte slight chance of lightning striking (an individual,. and to (learn i?cw facts recently discovered by electrical engineers. Not only has man accounted for many of the previously inexplicable pranks played by lightning, and shown us the places, of greatest safety during an electrical storm, but he lias actually made artificial lightning, which he has harnessed and put to work. There is no need to be afraid of lightning. The chance of the average person being struck in ins home one in many millions. If you live cn the top of a hill with no trees about, you are in the most perilous position. Such a house is likely to be struck once every 16b years. * But if you live in the average city home, with houses of equal height about you, lightning is apt to single you out about once every ICOO years. For the residents in the house o'n the hill the chance i® one in several million that they will' be struck by the bolt- that edmes. one every ICO years. The bolt might tear up the roof, or even set it afire, but would get no closer to you. It would encounter the electric wiring and woula be carried, impotent to the ground. Or it would speed to the earth via the plumbing system. The safest places in .your houso are anywhere away from lightning conductors. Keep away from walls in which pipes run. Do not, stand between two metal object, such, a* a heating radiator and the plumbing pipes. : There. ig„a lightning- ycd on iieariv every house though it may not b< visible to the eye. Every plumbing system has an air vent—a. pipetliat runs upwards to, if not through the roof. This serves as the lightning conductor. There is< nothing mysterious about lightning that tears off- the sole oi u'ahoe- or the whole shoe of the person who, may be struck, borne persons have perspiring feet. The electric bolt encounters the perspiration, "converts it to steam, and the ensuing explosion blows off .the sole of the shoe. There is probably no phase of the electrical storm which needs exploding as the scares about rad.o. borne believe an aerial is a grave menace ■ during a thunderstorm. Others ' believe the aerial acts as a sort of lightning rod and so protects them. The truth-is that both beliefs are right—depending entirely upon the 'installation, if the set is not properly insulated and grounded through a good “lightning arrester” it is a menace. The aerial does pick up electrical energy from the atmosphere during an electrical - storm. and should be so grounded that it will allow this energy to pass harmlessly into'.the- ground. I ,.,A,'set prpT, perly ("installed is a-.-mintatu^q^/digfljf; njpg rod and a distinct anViplectrical storm.'> -0.-fiVv if-*Any;tail .object attracts - lightning, because it .offers , a better conductor to ‘ the -ground than the,!. surrounding air.- .It. 4s- because ■' 0f,.--- this -that church ’ steeples are so often struck. It is : safer' to lie down than to stand up.- •• '4r v; . •:. ~ ■ , VA thundercloud acts a® one plate \of a huge condenser and the, earth • the-.other. .When - sufficient electrical fenefgy.- .liflffe /been' built up,- >the insulation of the. air breaks down and’ tlfei cloud ' short-eii»uitß, or d»* charges’, to. the, earth;, producing the . Hghthirsg flash. i/*;f* . ' 75person’s ;' likelihood of ■■ being • fully' .as! niuch'v; on whether he ,‘i§ under the storm cen.trq as'the-shelter of--positioto-iHFas-•siimea. ' • /-f.v,-