| lightning conductor | |
noun | |
| a metallic conductor that is attached to a high point and leads to the ground; protects the building from destruction by lightning [syn: lightning rod] |
lightning conductor
metallic rod (usually copper) that protects a structure from lightning damage by intercepting flashes and guiding their currents into the ground. Because lightning tends to strike the highest object in the vicinity, rods are typically placed at the apex of a structure and along its ridges; they are connected to the ground by low-impedance cables. In the case of a building, the soil is used as the ground; on a ship, the water is used.
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