Why do electric devices get burnt during thunderstorms

[antonantal]

Why do electric devices that use the wall plug get burnt sometimes during thunderstorms? Is it because the lightning changes the potential of the ground in the area surrounding the point where it strikes to a lower than 0 (reference) level potential, thus increasing the voltage of the wall plugs of a house in that area?

Also I read on a website that

"The movement of air and charged cloud particles within them separates electrical charges vertically; lightning then transfers the extra electrons at the base of the cloud to the ground."

My question is: Since the electric charge of the solid Earth is negative how come that the charges in the clouds separate so that the negative ones are at the base?

 

[cesiumfrog]

More likely because it strikes a line directly, producing a surge.

 

[astrokreng]

I would like to clarify that electric devices do not necessarily get burnt during thunderstorms. However, they can be damaged due to power surges caused by lightning strikes. This is because lightning can induce a large amount of electricity into the power grid, which can cause an increase in voltage. This sudden increase in voltage can overload and damage electronic devices that are connected to the power grid, such as those plugged into wall outlets.

To answer the second part of your question, the separation of charges in clouds during a thunderstorm is due to the movement of air and water droplets within the cloud. This creates a charge separation, with positive charges accumulating at the top of the cloud and negative charges accumulating at the bottom. This is similar to how a battery works, with positive and negative terminals creating an electric potential difference.

The reason for the negative charge at the base of the cloud is due to the Earth's surface being negatively charged. This is because the Earth's surface is constantly bombarded by cosmic rays and radiation from the Sun, which can strip away electrons from atoms and create a net negative charge. This negative charge is then attracted to the positive charge at the top of the cloud, creating a strong electric field that can lead to lightning strikes.

In summary, lightning can damage electric devices during thunderstorms due to power surges caused by an increase in voltage. The separation of charges in clouds is a result of the Earth's negative charge and the movement of air and water droplets within the cloud.