Explanations

Below you will find the explanation to each answer and detail.  

 

Question

What is lightning? 
     The answer to this question is found in the second paragraph:      
       Lightning is static electricity.  In a thunderstorm, the negative charges are in the clouds. These charges are attracted to the positive charges in the ground.  The resulting spark is lightning.  Most lightning occurs in the cloud or between the cloud and ground.  
Answer Lightning can be found in a thunderstorm.  
It is true that lightning can be found in a thunderstorm,  but that is not what the question asks.  The question asks WHAT lightning is, not WHERE lightning is found.
Lightning strikes trees.
Yes, lightning strikes trees, but that is not what the question asks.
Lightning is static electricity.  
This is correct.  Reread the second paragraph.  You will see that the first sentence tells us "Lightning is static electricity."
Detail Lightning is the shock you get when you rub your feet across the floor.
 This statement isn't even true.  Lightning is static electricity. It is found in thunderstorms, not in our homes.
When negative charges in the clouds are attracted to positive charges in the ground, the spark is lightning.
 In the second paragraph, this is the explanation that lightning is  static electricity.  
Lightning starts fires.  
 Yes, lightning strikes trees, but that is not what the question asks. This is what lightning does, not what lightning is.

 

Question How do we know that  lightning is powerful?
     The answer to this question can be found in the third paragraph:
     Lightning is very powerful! A flash of lightning could turn on a 100-watt light bulb for more than 3 months. The air near a strike is hot.  It is hotter than the surface of the sun! Lightning starts many fires in the United States. In the past 10 years, lightning started more than 15,000 fires.  
Answer Lightning starts many fires in the United States.
Yes, this answers the question by giving an example of the power of lightning to create fires.
Most lightning occurs in the cloud or between the cloud and the ground. 
This is a true statement, but does not tell HOW lightning is powerful.  It tells us WHERE lightning occurs.
Lightning is static electricity.
This is another true statement, but does not answer the HOW question.  It answers WHAT lightning is. 
Detail Lightning is very powerful.
This is an accurate statement, but it simply restates the question.
Lightning strikes trees.
 This is a correct statement. It does give an example of the power of lightning but it does not support the answer we gave above.  The detail needs to tell us more about our answer.
In the past 10 years, more than 15,000 fires were started by lightning.
Not only does this correctly answer the question, it also supports the answer we gave. It is a supporting detail.

 

Question How do you reduce your chances of being struck by lightning?
      The answer can be found in the final paragraph:
    Lightning is very dangerous! Your chances of being struck are about 1 in 600,000.   You can reduce your chances by following safety rules.

·   First check the weather forecast. Don’t make outdoor plans if there is a chance of thunderstorms.  
·   If you are caught outside, try to find shelter.    Most lightning deaths and injuries occur when people are outdoors.
·   Keep away from trees and find a low place. 
·   If you cannot find a shelter, get in to the "lightning safety position".  Squat down near the ground with your heels touching. Put your hands over your ears.
Answer If you are caught outside, try to find shelter.
Read over the second bullet.  This is the correct answer.
Find  a  tree and stand under it.
This is a false statement.  The third bullet tells you to keep away from trees and find a low place.
Don't worry about it.  Lightning is not that dangerous.
This is also a false statement.  Most of the article talks about how powerful and dangerous lightning is.
Detail During a storm, you can watch lightning safely from a field.
This is another false statement.  The theme of the entire article is how powerful and dangerous lightning is. 
If you can't find shelter, find a low place and get into the lightning safety position.
The last bullet tells us that this is correct.
Since the tree is taller than you, it will take the strike.
This is wrong. The third bullet tells you to keep away from trees.

 

©2001 Anna Lombardo
Oswego City School District

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