Question

How does electric discharge occur?

Answer 1

heavier, negatively charged particles sink to the bottom of the cloud. When the positive and negative charges grow large enough, a giant spark - lightning - occursbetween the two charges within the cloud. This is like a static electricity sparks you see, but much bigger.

Answer 2

Electrons already in the discharge, such as the random electrons produced by cosmic rays and radioactivity, can add to their number by ionizing gas molecules by collision. ... An electron cannot do this unless it has acquired sufficient kinetic energy by being accelerated in an electric field