If lightning is 5 time hotter than the surface of the sun...

[FreshPrince]

why do some people live when they get struck?

shouldn't a person be vaporized instantly by lightning?

my mind wonders when I read completely worthless stats

 

[dullard]

Time.

 

[BullyCanadian]

as far as I understand if the person is wet (drenched) at the time of being hit, it merely evaporated the water on the surface of the skin leaving the person naked, and unconious with some burns, but nothing too bad. And since its electricity its different than just plain heat?

 

[SWScorch]

I think it's because it's so quick, it's like a flash burn that doesn't really do any lasting damage. Not positive though

 

[cjgallen]

LightEning is five times more misspelled than lightning

 

[FreshPrince]

Originally posted by: cjgallen
LightEning is five times more misspelled than lightning

that's what I thought it's spelled, but when I searched google, I just saw the 1st couple of hits and I went with lightening

next time I'll use m-w

 

[yankeesfan]

The surface of the sun is not AMAZINGLY hot. I think it one of the coldest spots on the sun.

 

[her209]

The real reason? Because you touch yourself at night.

 

[FeuerFrei]

Originally posted by: SWScorch
I think it's because it's so quick, it's like a flash burn that doesn't really do any lasting damage. Not positive though

Scorch is correct. It only lasts microseconds.

 

[Cawchy87]

Originally posted by: FeuerFrei

Originally posted by: SWScorch
I think it's because it's so quick, it's like a flash burn that doesn't really do any lasting damage. Not positive though

Scorch is correct. It only lasts microseconds.

Ironic

 

[Howard]

Originally posted by: Cawchy87

Originally posted by: FeuerFrei

Originally posted by: SWScorch
I think it's because it's so quick, it's like a flash burn that doesn't really do any lasting damage. Not positive though

Scorch is correct. It only lasts microseconds.

Ironic

Might I prevail upon you to elucidate?

 

[ktehmok]

Originally posted by: Howard

Originally posted by: Cawchy87

Originally posted by: FeuerFrei

Originally posted by: SWScorch
I think it's because it's so quick, it's like a flash burn that doesn't really do any lasting damage. Not positive though

Scorch is correct. It only lasts microseconds.

Ironic

Might I prevail upon you to elucidate?

his name is "Scorch"?

 

[Toastedlightly]

olololool steam

 

[dullard]

Originally posted by: FeuerFrei
Scorch is correct. It only lasts microseconds.

Doh. No credit for me for mentioning time first.

Oh well, I did the calculations anyways (data from a quick Google search).

Skin data:
Thermal conductivity: k=0.21 W/mK
Thickness: h=~2 mm (varies depending on location on body).

Lightning data:
Temperature: T=~30000 K
Diameter: D=1.5 in
Duration: t=0.0002 sec

Thus the fat (just under the skin) gets this much energy:
t*T*k*(pi*d^2/4)/h = 0.7 Joules

It gets even less than that if you don't assume the outer skin temperature reaches the lightning bolt temperature. But it is a good first approximation.

Compare that to the 0.5 Joules required for one heartbeat. Thus not much energy is conducted into your body at all. It'll be unnoticed in the fat. Of course the outer portion of skin is scorched, but it just doesn't have time to conduct any heat in.

Note: there is probably a lot more resistive heat created by the electricity running through your body. But that wasn't asked about.

 

[SWScorch]

'tis okay dullard, I still respect you. :beer:

 

[FeuerFrei]

Originally posted by: dullard

Originally posted by: FeuerFrei
Scorch is correct. It only lasts microseconds.

Doh. No credit for me for mentioning time first.

Oh well, I did the calculations anyways (data from a quick Google search).

Skin data:
Thermal conductivity: k=0.21 W/mK
Thickness: h=~2 mm (varies depending on location on body).

Lightning data:
Temperature: T=~30000 K
Diameter: D=1.5 in
Duration: t=0.0002 sec

Thus the fat (just under the skin) gets this much energy:
t*T*k*(pi*d^2/4)/h = 0.7 Joules

Compare that to the 0.5 Joules required for one heartbeat. Thus not much energy is conducted into your body at all. It'll be unnoticed in the fat. Of course the outer portion of skin is scorched, but it just doesn't have time to conduct any heat in.

Note: there is probably a lot more resistive heat created by the electricity running through your body. But that wasn't asked about.

Well, dullard, your initial response was vague, therefore I quoted SWScorch. But I'm impressed that you showed your work. You get a gold star.

 

[MaxDSP]

Originally posted by: dullard

Originally posted by: FeuerFrei
Scorch is correct. It only lasts microseconds.

Doh. No credit for me for mentioning time first.

Oh well, I did the calculations anyways (data from a quick Google search).

Skin data:
Thermal conductivity: k=0.21 W/mK
Thickness: h=~2 mm (varies depending on location on body).

Lightning data:
Temperature: T=~30000 K
Diameter: D=1.5 in
Duration: t=0.0002 sec

Thus the fat (just under the skin) gets this much energy:
t*T*k*(pi*d^2/4)/h = 0.7 Joules

It gets even less than that if you don't assume the outer skin temperature reaches the lightning bolt temperature. But it is a good first approximation.

Compare that to the 0.5 Joules required for one heartbeat. Thus not much energy is conducted into your body at all. It'll be unnoticed in the fat. Of course the outer portion of skin is scorched, but it just doesn't have time to conduct any heat in.

Note: there is probably a lot more resistive heat created by the electricity running through your body. But that wasn't asked about.

Go Banana!

/got nothin'

 

[MrDudeMan]

Originally posted by: dullard

Originally posted by: FeuerFrei
Scorch is correct. It only lasts microseconds.

Doh. No credit for me for mentioning time first.

Oh well, I did the calculations anyways (data from a quick Google search).

Skin data:
Thermal conductivity: k=0.21 W/mK
Thickness: h=~2 mm (varies depending on location on body).

Lightning data:
Temperature: T=~30000 K
Diameter: D=1.5 in
Duration: t=0.0002 sec

Thus the fat (just under the skin) gets this much energy:
t*T*k*(pi*d^2/4)/h = 0.7 Joules

It gets even less than that if you don't assume the outer skin temperature reaches the lightning bolt temperature. But it is a good first approximation.

Compare that to the 0.5 Joules required for one heartbeat. Thus not much energy is conducted into your body at all. It'll be unnoticed in the fat. Of course the outer portion of skin is scorched, but it just doesn't have time to conduct any heat in.

Note: there is probably a lot more resistive heat created by the electricity running through your body. But that wasn't asked about.

what equation is that? im not familiar with it.

 

[shuan24]

here dullard, here's a

I was saving it for scorch, but you've clearly earned it more. As a matter of fact, here take the whole jar.

 

[dullard]

Originally posted by: FeuerFrei
Well, dullard, your initial response was vague, therefore I quoted SWScorch. But I'm impressed that you showed your work. You get a gold star.

Yea! I'll put it on my fridge tonight. I really don't care about the credit. I just had to put in a jab to get someone to be interested in reading a math post.

Originally posted by: MaxDSP
Go Banana!

Some of Ralph's best moments were in that episode.

 

[dullard]

Originally posted by: Bigsm00th

t*T*k*(pi*d^2/4)/h = 0.7 Joules

what equation is that? im not familiar with it.

That is the definition of thermal conductivity (rearranged).

A google search for Thermal Conductivity put this at the top.

 

[MrDudeMan]

Originally posted by: dullard

Originally posted by: Bigsm00th

t*T*k*(pi*d^2/4)/h = 0.7 Joules

what equation is that? im not familiar with it.

That is the definition of thermal conductivity (rearranged).

A google search for Thermal Conductivity put this at the top.

very cool. thanks.

 

[dullard]

Originally posted by: Bigsm00th
very cool. thanks.

Now we should ask the question: does the thermal conductivity of the skin change as it gets scortched by the lightning? It really was an overly-simple calcuation I did. Heck, probably the thickness of the skin drops during the bolt. Both effects would probably increase the amount of heat which reaches the tissue underneath.

 

[SWScorch]

Originally posted by: shuan24
here dullard, here's a

I was saving it for scorch, but you've clearly earned it more. As a matter of fact, here take the whole jar.

 

[QuitBanningMe]

I have nothing to add to this thread other than to say my grandfather was struck by lightning while milking a cow. It killed the cow and knocked him out.