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From: ken@rochester.arpa (Ken Yap)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Subject: Re: Lightning Rod Problem
Message-ID: <495@sol.ARPA>
Date: Thu, 9-Jul-87 11:59:58 EDT
Article-I.D.: sol.495
Posted: Thu Jul  9 11:59:58 1987
Date-Received: Sun, 12-Jul-87 05:45:47 EDT
References: <204600003@prism> <616@neoucom.UUCP> <455@sol.ARPA> <618@neoucom.UUCP>
Reply-To: ken@rochester.UUCP (Ken Yap)
Organization: U of Rochester, CS Dept, Rochester, NY
Lines: 9

|> 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.

I should have worded it to mean that the lightning rod preferentially
takes the damage in the event a bolt hits because the conduction path
is easier via the rod than the structure itself.

	Ken