Question

2. When the free ends of two wires connected
in a circuit are not joined together no current
flows through the circuit. This happens because
air is a poor conductor of electricity. But air
allows current to pass through during a thunder
lightning. Why?

Answer 1

Answer:

due to the electrostatic force that connects the positive to negative charge causing lightning to occur. it usually occurs in summer

Answer 2

Answer:

All materials, even insulators, have a property known as breakdown voltage. When voltage through the material is higher than the breakdown voltage, the material gets ionised and current flows through it. In case of lightning, the voltage between the clouds or the cloud and ground is higher than the breakdown voltage of air as lot of charges accumulate. Hence air gets ionised and thousands of amps of current flows through it. The sound and light of lightning is due to the ionisation of air.

Hope this helps!