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Re: [Phys-l] cell phone lightning hazard?



The following article, IMAO, refutes Mark's supposition (However, see below.). It's possible the ipod and wires saved his life by being the main path instead of his body. Whether the ipod contributed to his being struck is another matter.


http://www.denverpost.com/search/ci_4016385#

bc

p.s. in the current (at least while on the way to visit my Alma Mater in N. Staffordshire) New Scientist (or one of the many Newspapers I've saved?) is an article on the supposition that cell 'phones increase trauma from strikes, again nothing about the increased likelihood of a strike. If I find it, I'll post.



Mark Sylvester wrote:

Why should holding a cell-phone shaped bit of metal hear you head have any effect? I'd have thought that the difference in conductivity between the metal and the human body would not matter at the field strengths and PD's that prevail in a thunderstorm. Sticking an umbrella or a golf club up skywards, sure, would alter the field above you significantly, but it's more a matter of geometry than conductivity.

Mark


At 17:12 23/06/2006, Chuck Britton wrote:


I strongly suspect that this 'news' report is absolutely true (and
damn near irrelevant yellow journalism)

Holding ANY piece of conductive material up-side your head during a
thunderstorm will increase your chance of being struck by lightning.
I doubt that any thinking person can refute this claim.
But - scare tactics will always work on the great masses of people.

Bottomline - pure bullshit 'research', but perfectly true result.

Was someone paid big-bucks to reach this conclusion?
Or is someone trying to sell 'protection' or just trying to sell newspapers?

(Follow the Money - seems to still be relevant advice for many scenarios)



At 12:05 PM +0200 6/23/06, Mark Sylvester wrote:

News item yesterday: using a cell phone during a thunderstorm
increases risk of being struck by lightning.

Any thoughts about possible mechanism? Will a source of GHz
oscillations enhance ionization possibilities?

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