Meteorologist Needed (Trust me, this is game related)

[Dracowrath]

I was wondering something about how lightning works, though it's probably a silly question. In InFAMOUS, the last ability Cole gets is Lightning Storm, which brings down a bolt of lightning which carves a path of destruction across the city. What I want to know is, conduit abilities aside, does lightning ever do that? Or is every lightning strike a quick, instantaneous blast of electricity?

 

[Dracowrath]

...Right, gonna give this a bump now. Wonder if I should have phrased the title differently...

 

[Dracowrath]

No, lightning never does that. It is an instant blast to 1 spot, something about electrons moving, guess that's why they call it electricity.

That's what I thought, wasn't sure. Thanks.

 

[Cridhe]

Yep. Negative hits positive and that's that.

 

[Tzekelkan]

Indeed, lightning does not do that. It's just a discharge of static electricity, it isn't sustainable. And just like when you shock yourself with static electricity from a wool sweater, it always comes in discrete shots. It's also comparable to a spark.

 

[Galaxy Roll]

Lightning can do that, but its virtually impossible for it to occur in nature. It can be easily done with artificial lightning in a controlled environment, though.

 

[Galaxy Roll]

Lightning can do that, but its virtually impossible for it to occur in nature. It can be easily done with artificial lightning in a controlled environment, though.

That's not lightning, that's just normal electricity. Lightning is so much cooler because you never know where it's going to hit

Lightning is type of electricity. The only thing that makes it different from "normal" electricity is how it's made. Any open-air static discharge can be called lightning. Being artificial has nothing to do with it.

Though I will concede that natural lightning is way cooler than the artificial stuff.

 

[Dracowrath]

So Cole could be creating not actual lightning, but simply a very powerful line of electricity from the clouds to the ground?

 

[the spud]

I think there may be a type of lightning that can do that. It is called ball lightning. I don't know much about it. There is some controversy over whether or not it is real or not. Look into it.

 

[Dracowrath]

I think there may be a type of lightning that can do that. It is called ball lightning. I don't know much about it. There is some controversy over whether or not it is real or not. Look into it.

Pretty sure if it's in the shape of a lightning bolt it's not really "ball" lightning anymore is it?

 

[Weaver]

Think of lightning as essentially a giant static charge. The clouds hold a charge (I believe there are both positive and negative lighting with one going from the ground up and the other going from the clouds down, but I'm no meteorologist).

Anyways, when the charge gets too much it "seeks out" various locations to discharge; this is the reason for the forks, the current is running along multiple paths simultaneously. The first path to make contact with the ground discharges the buildup.

You'll notice I've kind of handwaved the explanation because I really don't know all the details of it. Perhaps, due to positive and negative charges pulling towards one another we get positive and negative particles pulling towards eachother until there is finally a full path.

 

[Hero in a half shell]

Ha! the electricity laughs at your puny science!


Where's your Franklin now?

 

[WouldYouKindly]

Natural lightning is a quick discharge in one spot. If there is some other power source, then it can be continuous. I guess a lightning charged super hero could do something like that though.