Question

what is lightning conductor? how does it protect building from lightning?

Answer 1

A lightning conductor as the name suggests conducts the electric charge which hits the building through it and hence does not allow the charge to pass through the building material.



The conducting rod is made of a good conducting material, which passes through the building in a relatively isolated manner such that it does not touch other conducting material in the structure.

The lightning conductor is extended till the ground where a plate of conducting material is placed underground.The connection with the ground sets the potential at zero and hence offers the easiest path for the charge to pass through.

The conductor is typically raised above the building to take the shock before the lightning can strike the building.

As the lightning strikes the conductor, it passes through its body and into the ground thus saving the building structure from any damage due to the flow of such high charge

Answer 2

A lightning conductor is a metal road mounted on a structure and intended to protect the structure from a lightning strike.