Environmental Science: Factors in Producing Lightning

Hailstones: Image Via Wikimedia Commons

I love to read anything from newspapers, tabloids, comics, books, other religious books that include Holy Bible and Holy Quran and many more. A verse of the Holy Qur'an 24:43 translated in English says "And He sends down hail from mountains (clouds) in the sky, and He strikes with it whomever He will, and turns it from whomever He wills. The vivid flash of its lightning nearly blinds the sight."

Ideas of Aristotle and Donald Ahrens on Meteorology

In 1600 AD, Aristotle's ideas on meteorology explained that thunder is the sound of collision of the dry emanation with the neighboring clouds and lightning is the inflaming and burning of the dry exhalation with a thin and faint fire. In Meteorology Today - authored by Donald Ahrens - explains that a cloud becomes electrified as hail falls through a region in the cloud of supercooled droplets and ice crystals. As liquid droplets collide with hailstone, they freeze on contact and release latent heat.

From the Cooler Object Electrons Flow Toward The Warmer Object 

This keeps the surface of the hailstone warmer than that of the surrounding ice crystals. When the hailstone comes in contact with an ice crystals, an important phenomenon occurs - electrons flow from the cooler object toward the warmer object. And because the hailstone becomes negatively charged, the same effect occurs when supercooled droplets come in contact with hailstone and tiny splinters of positively charged ice break off. These lighter positively charged particles are then carried to the upper part of the cloud by updrafts.

Factors in Producing Lightning

Hail is a form of solid precipitation which consists of balls or irregular lumps of ice, that are individually called hailstones. Hail stones on Earth consist mostly of water ice and measure between five millimeters (0.20 in) and 150 millimeters (5.9 in) in diameter, with the larger stones coming from severe thunderstorms.

The hail, left with a negative charge, falls towards the bottom of the cloud, thus the lower part of the cloud becomes negatively charged. These negative charges are then discharged as lightning. And it is concluded that it is the hail the major factor in producing lightning. 

The study or science of lightning is called fulminology and the person who studies lightning is referred to as a fulminologist.

Sources Links:

• Wikipedia
• Wikimedia Commons
• YouTube
• Answering Christianity
• The Quran on Cloud

Why Poverty is Distinct? The Truth Hurts

This video was created and published on YouTube in 2012. The contents of the video ay nagpapakita ng tunay na mukha ng kahirapan: ang mga dahilan ng kahirapan at ngayon sa administration ni Pangulong Duterte ay tina-trabaho para masolusyunan.

Cheating, too much Politicking, addiction to Drugs, addiction to Gambling, addiction to Alcohol, and Corruptions among our Officials are some of the many reasons to mention why poverty is distinct. 

Poverty injects pains and hardships to people and country. This condition hovers over many lands, and there are children who are malnourished, cannot attend school, dying for food and no shelter to house them. This is a social phenomenon that cannot be prevented alone through unending debate between our officials and the feuding politicians.

Cheaters are not discouraged because no one stands up to be called upon to account for their actions. Most of us are tolerating and disregarding these wrongs, so cheaters are continuing cheating. 

In politics, Politicians are fighting for power and are using the innocent masses to acquire it. And the one who are paying the price for this are the poor people and the country.

Addiction to drugs like cocaine, solvent, shabu, marijuana and other substances or liquid drugs is an epidemic disease happening in the countryside. It victimizes our children and would kill their dreams as well. That even the highest authorities are getting the difficulty to stop the problem. 

We cannot stop poverty but we can reduce it. We should stop from cheating, stop too much politicking; go away from drug, gambling and alcohol. Be a God-fearing citizen. Forget our differences and unite to cure our country of its debilitating ills. 

We should stop bickering among ourselves and leveling accusations against our leader that will only add to the chaos, tension and fear. Limit demonstrations and rallies, all that we do is to add to the fear of investors depriving ourselves of the investments needed to kick-start the economy. 

Our officials and the feuding politicians should unite and co-operate to give the people good governance. They should show vision, unity, determination, responsibility and motivation. If they do that, they can reduce poverty as well as reduce drug menace in the countryside and eradicate corruption from our country as well!

Snake Plants Produce Good Vibrations and Generate Prosperity

Snake Plants are Considered as One of Money Plants

According to the principles of Chinese medicine Snake plant known its latin name as Sansevieria Trifasciata radiates positive energy and has a positive impact on life in general especially in the area of business. It is well-rooted and its vibrant energy symbolizes new growth.

Snake plant is considered as Money plant. It produces good vibrations and generates prosperity to entrepreneurs. For Chinese, this plant symbolizes good luck, for them it is an ideal gift for prosperity, wealth and fortune in a new home.

In English language Sansevieria Trifasciata is most commonly known as Mother-in-Law's tongue, others called it as Ladies tongue, Snake plant, Viper's Bowstring Hemp and the Filipinos called it as Espada or Spada and it is considered as one of the Money plants. Sansevieria plants absorb carbon dioxide in the night as well as they give off oxygen at night too.

Other facts about Snake plants according to an Online Encyclopedia

• Due to the belief that it can protect a home from evil influences, the mother-in-law's tongue is also called a good-luck plant, but it might not be so lucky for pets. For humans - the toxicity level is low, producing short-lasting symptoms such as mouth pain, salivation, and some nausea.

• Snake plant is a species of flowering plant in the family Asparagaceae, native to tropical West Africa from Nigeria east to the Congo. The reasons why it is called "Mother-in-Law's tongue, Snake plant" it is because of the shape and sharp margins of its leaves. It is also known as the "viper's bowstring hemp", because it is one of the sources for plant fibers used to make bowstrings.

• Snake plant is an evergreen perennial plant forming dense stands, spreading by way of its creeping rhizome, which is sometimes above ground, sometimes underground. Its stiff leaves grow vertically from a basal rosette. Mature leaves are dark green with light gray-green cross-banding and usually range from 70–90 centimetres (28–35 in) long and 5–6 centimetres (2.0–2.4 in) wide, though it can reach heights above 2 m (6 ft) in optimal conditions.

Snake plant names in other Countries

In Eurasia, it is known as hǔwěilán (虎尾兰 or 虎尾蘭, "tiger's tail orchid") in China; tora no o (とらのお, "tiger's tail") in Japan; and paşa kılıcı("pasha's sword") in Turkey. In South America, it is known as espada de São Jorge ("sword of Saint George") in Brazil. In the Netherlands and Flanders (Belgium), the plant is also known as "vrouwentong" (women's tongue).

Other uses of Snake plant

Snake plant is now used predominantly as an ornamental plant, outdoors in warmer climates, and indoors as a houseplant in cooler climates. It is popular as a houseplant because it is tolerant of low light levels and irregular watering; during winter it needs only one watering every couple of months. It will rot easily if overwatered. 

Scientific Findings

The NASA Clean Air Study found Sansevieria Trifasciata has air purification qualities, removing 4 of the 5 main toxins. It exchanges oxygen and carbon dioxide using the crassulacean acid metabolism process, unique because few plant species have adapted it. It allows them to withstand drought. The microscopic pores on the plant's leaves, called the stomata and used to exchange gases, are only opened at night to prevent water from escaping via evaporation in the hot sun. As a result, oxygen is released at night, unlike most plants that only exchange gases during the day.

Sources of idea and other info:

Sansevieria Trifasciata known also as Snake Plant

Mother-in-Law's Tongue

Snake Plant Collection and Care