Lightning is a massive electrostatic discharge that occurs naturally within storms, particularly thunderstorms. It results from the separation of electrical charges within cumulonimbus clouds, creating extreme potential differences between different regions of the atmosphere, such as between the cloud and the ground, or within the cloud itself. When the accumulated electrical gradient exceeds the insulating capacity of the surrounding medium, a rapid plasma channel forms, constituting the lightning bolt. These discharges represent one of the most powerful natural energy transfers on Earth, capable of heating the air almost instantaneously to extreme temperatures, which subsequently generates the audible phenomenon known as thunder.