Show Light lightning nin and clouds lightning is nothing more than an electrical discharge between two bodies in which there is a large difference of potential says a writer in the montreal herald clouds are usually considered as being static charges of negative potential while the earth is considered to be positively charged when a sufficient voltage or potential has been built up in either of these bodies to overcome the resistance of the air gap between them there is a flash bash which w we call a bolt of lightning since 0 objects on the earths surface such as buildings or trees lessen the distance between the two bodies they are likely to be struck they offer a I 1 path of reduced resistance there is no na doubt that in the great majority of cases of forked lightning the flash appears to the observer to be coming earthward and strikes from above |