Attract Lightning: Can You Use an Electro-Magnet?

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SUMMARY

This discussion centers on the feasibility of using a negatively polarized electro-magnet to attract lightning during a positively charged storm. Participants clarify that magnets possess north and south poles, and the concept of positive or negative polarization in magnets is misleading. Lightning is fundamentally voltage-dependent, arising from charge separation within storm clouds rather than magnetic influence. Ultimately, no magnet can attract or repel voltage, as lightning discharges occur due to significant charge imbalances between clouds and the Earth.

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Could you use a negatively polarized electro-magnet with a positively charged lightning storm to attract lightning to strike at your position?
 
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xthomasbhx said:
Could you use a negatively polarized electro-magnet with a positively charged lightning storm to attract lightning to strike at your position?

What do you mean by negatively polarized electromagnet? Magnets has both north and south poles there's no sense of positive or negative.
 
Like the magnet is polarized south and the storm is polarized north, could you cause lightning with that sceniro?
 
xthomasbhx, storms are not polarized. Storms do, however, develop voltage (charge) differences which, can cause a lightning discharge. No magnet will attract or repel voltage.

Lightning is voltage-dependent. Storms separate charges into positive and negative volumes. If a cloud was highly negative relative to the Earth below it, once the "breakdown voltage" was reached we expect a "spark" or lightning bolt would jump between those two charged volumes and therefore discharge that great imbalance (or, neutralize the difference in potential).
 

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