If you look for fulgurites, don't expect to find something resembling a transparent tube. Perhaps not surprisingly, some people enjoy making their own fulgurites, either by sticking lightning rods in sand before thunder storms or using a high-voltage power supply in a lab. See this thing It's a fulgurite, and it's formed when goddamn LIGHTNING hits sand or soil, and the heat from the strike (>27,000C) fuses the silica to glass. They're usually one to two inches in diameter and only a few inches long, although some fulgurites can reach two feet or more in length. When lightning strikes soil or sand an extreme heat phenomenon occurs but some of the viral snaps aren't all they seem. Unfortunately, fulgurites are brittle and delicate, so they're easily broken if you dig for them. Since they're created underground, you either have to dig for them or stumble across one that happens to have been unearthed by erosion. The word comes from the Latin word for "thunderbolt." They're also sometimes known as petrified lightning.įulgurites can be found all over the world, but they're not very common. Scientists call these creations fulgurites. This creates hollow, glass-lined tubes that are rough and sandy on the outside. When it strikes sand, it can actually create interesting works of art if the conditions are just right.įor example, if lightning strikes sand that's rich in silica or quartz and heats it to a temperature above 3,272˚ F, it will melt the sand into silica glass below the surface. The sounds of thunder and the awesome lightning displays should only be experienced from a distance, as it can be very dangerous to be near a large body of water during a lightning storm.Ī bolt of lightning packs awesome power and can even be hotter than the surface of the Sun. Storms that blow in from the ocean can be fierce at times. It can be frustrating when storms come and force you to stay inside when you just want to feel the sand under your toes. There's nothing like hours and hours of floating in the ocean waves and soaking up the Sun's rays to relax the body, mind, and soul.īeach vacations are a lot of fun as long as the weather is cooperating. Others might opt for a " staycation" close to home.įor many families, though, a summer vacation means a trip to the beach. The scientific explanation is that the very high temperature caused by the lightning strike (about 1800 degrees Celsius) melts silica in the sand and merges. Does your family take a summer vacation each year? Many families like to pack up the family vehicle for a cross-country road trip to visit several national parks.
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