Lightning Formation

The Origin of Lightning

We know that lightning does not come from clouds because lightning can occur without clouds. Therefore, we should look to the one place capable of building such a charge—the crust. The majority of the Earth’s continental crust is composed of quartz based rock and new evidences show that energy created from crustal movement due to the constant gravitational pull on the Earth’s crust causes the quartz to rub together creating an electrical charge. The same concept of quartz being used for an electrical charge is seen in many modern day watches and speakers. The Piezofield and Geofield Models discussed in the UM, remove the “mystery” surrounding lightning by demonstrating how lightning is generated and why it is usually, but not always associated with clouds and moisture. Learn more on the formation of lightning in Chapter 9 The Weather Model.