why does lightning form the “tree roots” pattern where it squiggles and branches out? Rather than, for example, straight up and down?
In: Physics
I remember someone explaining that very concept to me. So once electric force is discharged from the charged clouds it begins its journey to the ground, there are multiple “paths” to reach that destination by way of moisture. Basically moisture makes a much better conductor and “path” than normal air. With this in mind it travels downward connecting a path based on that till it reaches the ground.
Electrons flow best on paths with good conductivity, hence people say that lightning follows the path of least resistance. Different materials and chemical compounds have different conductivities, and anything outside a perfect mathematical world has those materials scattered through them pretty randomly. What lightning does is jumping between the best conducting things, towards the electrical ground.
What you need to keep in mind is that electrons are repelled from each other. They’re trying to leap towards an attractive positive charge, but they’re also trying to leap away from their neighbouring electrons. So during the phase of lightning formation before an arc to ground has been established, it follows this exploring, branching pattern as different branches try to compromise between finding a positively charged ground, avoiding paths of high resistance, and reaching in a direction which takes them away from the other branches.
This is also why [Lichtenburg figures](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwGnxB9BXK0) look like trees.
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