Can a Car Be Struck by Lightning?
2 Answers
Car will not be struck by lightning. It is safe to stay inside a car during a thunderstorm, and there is no need to worry because cars are made of metal with excellent conductive properties, which allows the car to act as a shield against lightning. The principle of electric field shielding is as follows: 1. Equipotential body: When positive and negative charges accumulate at both ends of a conductor, they generate an additional electric field. At this point, the total electric field inside the conductor is zero everywhere, and free charges no longer move. The potential difference between any two points inside the conductor is zero, and the entire cavity becomes an equipotential body. 2. Shielding: In fact, the cavity of the conductor does not need to be tightly sealed; a metal mesh enclosure can also provide shielding. 3. Electrostatic equilibrium: Because the car's outer shell is mainly made of metal, under the influence of electrostatic induction, the car's surface acquires opposite charges, placing the car in a state of electrostatic equilibrium. The electric field inside the car is zero, and the potential at all points inside the car is equal, resulting in a zero potential difference.
My neighbor Lao Zhang has been driving trucks for thirty years and once witnessed lightning strike a roadside truck. Cars can indeed be struck by lightning, but the inside is actually safe! The metal body channels the current to the ground, acting like a protective net around the vehicle. However, never touch any metal parts—I once saw a truck's rearview mirror melt from a strike. Nowadays, during thunderstorms, I always advise friends to close windows tightly, retract antennas, and avoid open areas. If you panic and slam on the brakes when lightning strikes, it might cause an accident. Ultimately, being inside a car is much safer than under a tree. Last year, news reported two people struck by lightning on a golf course, but those in the parking lot cars were unharmed.
