why does some lightning seeks the ground while others go across the sky? What happens to the plasma?

Question

why does some lightning seeks the ground while others go across the sky? What happens to the plasma?

In: Earth Science

Answer 1

Electricity wants to travel across the quickest path. Sometimes that path is through clouds (cloud to cloud), sometimes from cloud to ground, etc. That path is dependent on the charge (positive and negative). So if the quickest path between a positive and negative charge is closer in the clouds versus the ground, the path will be across the clouds.

The air quickly cools as it contracts after lightning is generated.