Chemical reactions lightning

Rubin (2000) has reviewed models for forming chondrules and their consistency with various petrologic constraints (Table 7) condensation, exothermic chemical reactions, jetting during nebular collisions between particles, ablation in protoplanetary atmospheres, nebular lightning... 

The photograph above shows a forest fire that began when lightning struck a tree. Describe the chemical reaction that occurs when trees burn. Is the reaction endothermic or exothermic What does this mean Why does this cause a forest fire to spread ... 

The burning of logs in a forest fire is a chemical reaction. What prevents this chemical reaction from occurring when there is no lightning to start a fire ... 

The concentrations of sulfate and nitrate ions in the snow and ice of Antarctica and Greenland are of special interest becanse these ions form in part by chemical reactions in the atmosphere. Eor example, sulfate ions in the form of sulfuric acid (H SO ) are deposited after volcanic eruptions, whereas the formation of nitrate (nO ) has been attributed to lightning, solar flares, explosive impacts of large extraterrestrial objects, as well as to volcanic eruptions (Hitchcock et al. 1980 Delmas 1982 Delmas et al. 1982b Herron 1982 Dreschhoff and Zeller 1994). The presence of electrically charged ions in ice gives rise to the electrical condnctivity of the ice which can be measnred routinely and conveniently after the ice has been melted (Dreschhoff and Zeller 1994). 

Just as scientists have discovered how to direct electrons in a bolt of lightning, chemists have also discovered how to direct electrons in chemical reactions. We will soon see that although organic chemistry is literally defined as the study of compounds containing carbon atoms, its true essence is actually the study of electrons, not atoms. 

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