NASA: A Lightning Primer

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written by Steven Goodman

This NASA resource for teachers is a complete "primer" on the subject of lightning. It includes an easily understood description of the lightning discharge process, photos and text describing modern data collection & detection techniques, characteristics and types of lightning, and a brief history of the scientific study of lightning.

https://lightning.nsstc.nasa.gov/primer/index.html

Subjects	Levels	Resource Types
Electricity & Magnetism - Electric Fields and Potential - Electrostatics Other Sciences - Geoscience - Meteorology	- High School - Informal Education	- Reference Material

Appropriate Courses	Categories	Ratings
- Physical Science - Physics First - Conceptual Physics - Algebra-based Physics	- New teachers	Currently 0.0/5 Want to rate this material? Login here!

Intended Users:: Educator
Learner
Format:: text/html
Access Rights:: Free access
Restriction:: Does not have a copyright, license, or other use restriction.
Keywords:: electric charge, electrostatics, lightning, lightning detection, lightning propogation, lightning research
Record Cloner:: Metadata instance created November 3, 2006 by Caroline Hall
Record Updated:: January 22, 2018 by Caroline Hall
Last Update when Cataloged:: December 1, 2005
Other Collections:: The PSRC

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This resource is part of 2 Physics Front Topical Units.

Topic: "Static" Electricity
Unit Title: Teaching About Electrostatics

The study of lightning is an exciting way to learn about electric field and charge. During a thunderstorm, separation of charge produces enormous electrical potential both within the cloud and between the cloud and ground. Eventually the electrical resistance in the air breaks down and a flash begins. This NASA resource is a complete "primer" on the subject of lightning -- it explains the lightning discharge process, modern data collection, and a brief history of the scientific study of lightning.

Link to Unit:

Topic: "Static" Electricity
Unit Title: Charge Interaction

This NASA resource is a complete "primer" on the subject of lightning. It includes an easily understood description of the lightning discharge process, modern data collection,and a brief history of the scientific study of lightning.

Link to Unit:

ComPADRE is beta testing Citation Styles!

Record Link

<a href="https://www.compadre.org/precollege/items/detail.cfm?ID=4616">Goodman, Steven. NASA: A Lightning Primer. December 1, 2005.</a>

AIP Format

S. Goodman, (2005), WWW Document, (https://lightning.nsstc.nasa.gov/primer/index.html).

AJP/PRST-PER

S. Goodman, NASA: A Lightning Primer (2005), <https://lightning.nsstc.nasa.gov/primer/index.html>.

APA Format

Goodman, S. (2005, December 1). NASA: A Lightning Primer. Retrieved May 22, 2025, from https://lightning.nsstc.nasa.gov/primer/index.html

Chicago Format

Goodman, Steven. NASA: A Lightning Primer. December 1, 2005. https://lightning.nsstc.nasa.gov/primer/index.html (accessed 22 May 2025).

MLA Format

Goodman, Steven. NASA: A Lightning Primer. 2005. 1 Dec. 2005. 22 May 2025 <https://lightning.nsstc.nasa.gov/primer/index.html>.

BibTeX Export Format

@misc{ Author = "Steven Goodman", Title = {NASA: A Lightning Primer}, Volume = {2025}, Number = {22 May 2025}, Month = {December 1, 2005}, Year = {2005} }

Refer Export Format

%A Steven Goodman %T NASA: A Lightning Primer %D December 1, 2005 %U https://lightning.nsstc.nasa.gov/primer/index.html %O text/html

EndNote Export Format

%0 Electronic Source %A Goodman, Steven %D December 1, 2005 %T NASA: A Lightning Primer %V 2025 %N 22 May 2025 %8 December 1, 2005 %9 text/html %U https://lightning.nsstc.nasa.gov/primer/index.html

Disclaimer: ComPADRE offers citation styles as a guide only. We cannot offer interpretations about citations as this is an automated procedure. Please refer to the style manuals in the Citation Source Information area for clarifications.

Citation Source Information

The AIP Style presented is based on information from the AIP Style Manual.

The APA Style presented is based on information from APA Style.org: Electronic References.

The Chicago Style presented is based on information from Examples of Chicago-Style Documentation.

The MLA Style presented is based on information from the MLA FAQ.

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