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From: wtm@neoucom.UUCP (Bill Mayhew)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Subject: Re: Lightning Rod Problem
Message-ID: <618@neoucom.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 7-Jul-87 12:03:47 EDT
Article-I.D.: neoucom.618
Posted: Tue Jul  7 12:03:47 1987
Date-Received: Sun, 12-Jul-87 03:16:27 EDT
References: <204600003@prism> <616@neoucom.UUCP> <455@sol.ARPA>
Organization: Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine
Lines: 17
Summary: Discharge before bolt, hopefully...

In article <455@sol.ARPA>, ken@rochester.arpa (Ken Yap) writes:
<<stuff about ball on tip vs. pointy tip>>

> No. The purpose of a lightning rod is to preferentially attract
> lightning.  A sharp point does much better at breaking down the
> dielectric (air) than a smooth surface.

Aside from plain or sphere on tip, it is my understanding that the
function of a lightning rod it to allow static to bleed from the
air around a structure into the ground.  By neutralizing the
charge, the likelyhood of a bolt landing there should be reducded.

The wording in the previous article gives the impression that the
lightning rod is designed to attract lightning rather than deter
it.

Bill