Source 1: www.uwec.edu/jolhm/EH3/Group2/Pictures/lightning.jpg

Source 2: www.insidesocal.com/presports/lightning.jpg

Source 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBlIahMxbpo

Source 4: www.ma.utexas.edu/users/kschalm/Lightning%20&%20Tornado.jpg

Source 5: en.wikipedia.irg/wiki/Lightning

Source 6: www.enotes.com/science-fact-finder-/weather-climate/how-hot-lightning

Source 7: www.weathersavy.com/Q-lightning.html

Source 8: www.weatherwizkids.com/weather-lightning .html

Source 9: www.skydiary.com/kids/lightning.html

How is lightning formed in the cloud and how does it reach the ground?

The most used theory for this question is that when ice and water particles collide in clouds they get charged and make the lightning. lighter particles tend to be positively charged and end up near the top of the cloud, while negatively charged particles end up at the bottom of the storm. The charge on the ground is positive and the negative charge from the clouds enhances it causing an electrical bolt. The bolt than travels at an extreme rate of 60,000 miles per second. This speed and the heat of which the lightning gives off breaks the speed of sound and causes thunder. 

• What are the types of lightning?

Cloud-to-ground lightning is the most dangerous, it strikes from the clouds all the way down to the ground. Most cloud to gound ligghtning comes from negatively charged bottom of the cloud traveling to the positevly charged ground below. Cloud- to- ground lightning strikes the highest objects such as trees and towers high in the air, it causes property damage and froest and wild fires. Forked lightning in my opinion is the coolest one to see, they appear as jagged lines of lightning. They can have several branches. They can be seen striking from cloud to ground, cloud to cloud or even cloud to the sky. Sheet lightning is lightning in the air that lights up the whole cloud and the night time sky. Ball lightning is probably the most rare type of lightning. It usually appears as a reddish, luminous ball, but can be seen in any color. Hissing noises originate from such balls amd they sometimes make loud noises when the explode. There are many more types of lighning but these are just a few.

1. How hot is a single lighning bolt?

The tempurature of the air around a lightning bolt is about 54,000 degrees fahrenheit. Amazingly some people have still lived after being srtuck by lightning. For a reference that is 6 times hotter than the surface of the sun. For example Roy Sullivan was hit by lightning 7 times between 1942 to 1977. As long as the lightning does not pass through the heart or the spinal column the victim should be alright. The average 100 watt bolt for up to 3 months. Lighning heats the atmosphere so rapidly that the air molecules expand violently causing a rumble called thunder.

The actual temperature is as hot as i am:)