(ORDO NEWS) — Surely you have heard such a warning that you should not take a bath during a thunderstorm. Is it really a dangerous pastime, or is it just a fairy tale? It turns out that there is a risk, and more dangerous than you think.
What happens during a thunderstorm?
First, a thunderstorm forms when the atmosphere is unstable. According to NOAA’s National Severe Storms Laboratory, lightning is an electrical spark that occurs between the ground, clouds, and air.
When lightning forms, the air between the cloud and the ground acts as an insulator between negative and positive charges.
When opposing charges build up, the air insulation “breaks through” and there is an instantaneous discharge of electricity – what we call lightning.
The flash you see in a stormy sky is nature’s way of temporarily equalizing charged regions of the atmosphere. This cycle will continue until the charges dissipate.
Lightning energy heats the air to about 28,000 degrees Celsius, which causes an explosion in the air and we hear the sound of thunder.
How can lightning cause injury?
Lightning can cause many different injuries with varying risks of mortality. Typically, 10 percent of people struck by lightning die from a heart attack.
A direct blow is often fatal. Other types of strikes are less lethal, such as contact strike (the victim touches the object struck by lightning), side flash (lightning bounces off the object and strikes the victim), and ground current (lightning strikes the ground nearby and the current travels from the point of impact through the ground to the victim). ).
Thunder can also cause injury, such as eardrum rupture or fall injury. Is it dangerous to be in the shower during a thunderstorm?
Unless you’re sitting in an outdoor bath or showering in the rain, you’re not likely to suffer a direct blow. The biggest problem is that lightning enters the house directly, as plumbing and other metal can serve as a conductor of electricity.
Generally, lightning follows the path of least resistance, such as through wires and plumbing. Therefore, it can travel through the pipes and hit you while showering.
Water can also conduct electricity. This means that if you are in the shower or bath, electricity can flow through the pipes and into the water.
People should stay away from showers and plumbing during thunderstorms. Washing dishes should also be avoided, which would be a great excuse for someone to avoid this unloved routine.
In general, it is unlikely that you will be struck by lightning during a thunderstorm while you are in the bath, but it is possible.
For example, in the United States it was reported that 10-20 people in the country annually receive an electric shock when handling appliances, using taps and… in baths. In addition, it was also reported that 33 percent of deaths from lightning were associated with water.
So the next time there is a thunderstorm, stay away from it and stay out of the water.
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