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Lightning rod

For the 1938 film, see Lightning Conductor (film). For the 2016 roller coaster, see Lightning Rod (roller coaster). For the American musician, see Jalal Mansur Nuriddin.
A lightning rod at the highest point of a tall building, connected to a ground rod by a wire.
Diagram of a simple lightning protection system
Lightning striking the lightning rod of the CN Tower in Toronto, Canada.

A lightning rod or lightning conductor (British English) is a metal rod mounted on a structure and intended to protect the structure from a lightning strike. If lightning hits the structure, it is most likely to strike the rod and be conducted to ground through a wire, rather than passing through the structure, where it could start a fire or even cause electrocution. Lightning rods are also called finials, air terminals, or strike termination devices.

In a lightning protection system, a lightning rod is a single component of the system. The lightning rod requires a connection to the earth to perform its protective function. Lightning rods come in many different forms, including hollow, solid, pointed, rounded, flat strips, or even bristle brush-like. The main attribute common to all lightning rods is that they are all made of conductive materials, such as copper and aluminum. Copper and its alloys are the most common materials used in lightning protection.[1]

  1. ^ "Copper Lightning Protection Systems Save Lives, Billions". Copper Development Association. Archived from the original on 2013-03-15. Retrieved 2012-09-11.

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