What Happens When Lightning Strikes Sand?

yo117 (51)in #science • 8 years ago

This is a picture taken by National Geographic Ken Smith, which is somewhat like Pokemon Onyx.
This result is called Fulgurite. The scientific explanation is that the very high temperature caused by the lightning strike (about 1800 degrees Celsius) melts silica in the sand and merges sand grains with each other in no more than one second to create this strange shape.