Subatomic Particles
This subatomic particle determines the identity of an element.
Proton
This scientist proposed the “plum pudding” model of the atom.
J. J. Thompson
Inside a thundercloud, collisions between ice crystals and hail cause this fundamental process.
Transfer of elections
This initial channel of ionized air moves downward from the cloud in steps.
A step leader
An electric field is created whenever this is present.
Electric Charge
This particle has a mass close to 1 amu (atomic mass unit) but no electric charge.
Neutron
Which experiment provided evidence for a small, dense, positively charged nucleus?
Rutherford's gold foil experiment
Which region of a thundercloud typically becomes negatively charged?
Bottom of cloud
Why does lightning often appear to travel upward from the ground?
Upward streamers rise to meet the step leader
Explain how polarization helps create a path for a lightning strike.
It increases attraction between opposite charges and strengthens the electric field
Which two subatomic particles contribute most to atomic mass, and why?
Neutrons and protons. Electrons have basically no mass.
Why did Bohr’s model improve upon Rutherford’s but still fail to explain all atomic behavior?
It only works for hydrogen and assumes fixed electron orbits
How do updrafts contribute to charge separation within a storm cloud?
They carry positively charged ice crystals upward
What occurs when a step leader connects with an upward streamer?
A complete conductive path forms
Explain why a strong electric field is necessary before lightning can occur.
It must overcome air’s resistance to electric flow
An atom has 17 protons and 18 electrons. What is its net charge?
-1
This modern atomic model describes electrons as existing in probability regions rather than fixed paths
Quantum mechanical (electron cloud) model
Why does the ground below a storm become positively charged?
Electrons in the ground are repelled by the negatively charged cloud base
Why does lightning follow a jagged, branching path instead of a straight line?
It follows regions of least resistance in ionized air
When lightning occurs, electrical energy is primarily converted into this visible form.
Light
If two atoms have the same atomic number but different masses, what are they called?
Isotopes
Which fundamental limitation of early atomic models was resolved by wave–particle duality?
Electrons act like both a particle and a wave
Explain why charge separation can continue to increase without immediately producing lightning.
Air acts as an insulator until the electric field becomes strong enough to cause breakdown
What factors influence where lightning ultimately strikes the ground?
Height, conductivity, and proximity of objects
What happens to electrons in nitrogen and oxygen atoms when energized by lightning?
Electrons move to higher energy levels when they get excited