True or False: Lightning has been spotted on other planets.

True or False: Lightning has been spotted on other planets.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Not sure
• D. Unknown

Answer: (A)

Lightning is a rapid electrical discharge that occurs when charge separates in storm clouds and air breaks down. If a planet has a thick, turbulent atmosphere with convection, similar discharges can happen there as well. We’ve actually detected signs of lightning beyond Earth: Jupiter and Saturn produce radio bursts that match lightning storms, and optical flashes have been observed on Jupiter. Venus shows evidence of electrical discharges in its dense cloud layers, detected by past missions and analyzed data. Because there is observational evidence from several planets, the statement is true. The other options ignore or contradict the data, which is why they’re not appropriate.

Lightning is a rapid electrical discharge that occurs when charge separates in storm clouds and air breaks down. If a planet has a thick, turbulent atmosphere with convection, similar discharges can happen there as well. We’ve actually detected signs of lightning beyond Earth: Jupiter and Saturn produce radio bursts that match lightning storms, and optical flashes have been observed on Jupiter. Venus shows evidence of electrical discharges in its dense cloud layers, detected by past missions and analyzed data. Because there is observational evidence from several planets, the statement is true. The other options ignore or contradict the data, which is why they’re not appropriate.