• Question: Could you tell me your theory of ball lightning?

    Asked by jamesat79 to Colin on 20 Jun 2013.
    • Photo: Colin Dick

      Colin Dick answered on 20 Jun 2013:

      Wow, this is a totally new phenomenon to me! I need to have a good read of the existing theories, then maybe in 5 years time I can come up with a theory of my own. Do you have your own theory by any chance?

Comments

  • Photo: jamesat79

    jamesat79 commented on :

    Thats alright, my theory is that ball lightning is summoned by some special reaction with a certain element or perfect environment!
    Cheers, James
    🙂

    P.S. I asked Christina a question, ‘In a petrol engine , the fuel explodes to move the pistons, but how does it explode? Also, in a diesel engine , how does it compare to a petrol engine?’ and she said that you would be the better person to explain because you deal with cars!
    Thanks!

  • Photo: Colin

    Colin commented on :

    hi James,

    I’m so out of touch with ball lightning theory but I like your thinking!

    Petrol engines pull air and fuel into the piston at the same time, the piston then compresses this fluid mixture into a smaller volume which increases its pressure (and therefore increases its energy, like a balloon has more energy inside it when it’s inflated) and there’s a small electrical component called a spark plug – this creates a spark which ignites the fluid mixture, causing a sudden energy release!

    Diesel engines are similar – the important difference is that the fuel is added after the air has been compressed and they try to time it so that the fuel arrives at the same time as the spark. Diesel engines are more efficient than petrol engines, but I’m not sure why.

    Further research required =)