Question

A lightning conductor is made up of:
A. Copper
B. Glass
C. Ebonite
D. Wood

Answer 1

Hint: A lightning conductor or lightning rod is a metal rod structured on a building and intended to protect the building from a lightning strike. In order to satisfy the above condition, the lightning rod should be made of some conductive material.

Complete step by step answer:
A lightning conductor is a metal strap or rod which connects the highest point on a building to the ground, the earth. Its main purpose is to protect the building from a damaging discharge of electricity between the atmosphere and the building, that is, a lightning strike.
The lightning conductor is basically a thick copper wire or a strip that is secured mounted onto the tallest point of a structure, such as a building, to the long copper earth pole, which is being hammered deep into the ground at the side of the building. The lighting rod is installed in order to protect the building from the lightning strikes, by providing an easier path for the electric current, generated due to lightning, to flow to the earth rather than passing through the building.

Lightning on its way to the earth tries to find the easiest path and the best conductor and consequently will leap from side to side finding a tree or a building. This is drawn to pointy or sharp things than to round or blunt things, and for this reason, lightning rods are always made with sharp points. When a cloud filled with electricity passes above the rods, the electricity will flow down them until the cloud is fully discharged. During the above process, no flash, or no sound of thunder is heard.
To prevent rusting, the top point of the lightning rod is coated using silver metal. The lower end of the rod must be carried down into the damp earth. If the earth is dry, then the end should be carried into a well, because dry earth is not a good conductor and the captured lightning might leap from the rod at the lower end and go into the cellar of the building.
The lightning conductor is made up of Copper.

So, the correct answer is “Option A”.

Note: A lightning rod or lightning conductor is a metal rod fixed on the top of a structure and intended to protect the structure from a lightning strike. In case lightning hits the structure, it will preferably strike the rod and be conducted to the ground through a wire, instead of passing through the structure.
The main feature for all lightning rods is that they are all made of conductive materials, such as copper and aluminium. Copper and copper alloys are the most common materials used in lightning protection.