Learning Corner : Ions

Dear Weather Goddess,

Could you please clear up a question for me? People are always talking about ions, and whether they are positive or negative.

Why should I care?
What do ions do?
Do they only change polarity during a good (or bad depending on whether you like them or not) thunderstorm?
Do animals freak out due to ion actions?

-Cat


As you may remember from high school science classes, ions are atoms that have lost or gained electrons and therefore carry a positive or negative charge. The earth's normal radiation creates positive ions in the air near its surface, while flowing or evaporating water will create negative ions in the air surrounding it. Why this is is beyond my powers to relate as the explanations are dense and boring and made me sleepy. So just trust me. When a thunderstorm comes along the air near the ground will become positively charged, while the bottom of the storm will become negatively charged. (Once again I can't really explain...) During the course of the storm the combined effects of lightning and rain will leave the air near the ground full of negatively charged ions.

Why should you care? Supposedly these negative ions are responsible for the happy, relaxed feelings we have after a thunderstorm, at the beach, or in the shower. It seems that there have been some real studies shown on this phenomenon that prove there is some truth to it, and seasonal affective disorder and other mild depressions may be partially attributable to positive ions.

As far as animals are concerned there are plenty of words on the web explaining their responses to positive ions before storms and especially before earthquakes. I didn't feel like plunging into that morass, but the answer may be out there if you feel like looking. You can also find quite a bit of speculation on the effects of ions on the stockmarket, crime, sports, politics, empires, dinosaurs etc.

If you are concerned about your positive ion exposure you can buy an expensive thing that shoots negative ions around your apartment, or you can just stop reading blogs, do the dishes and take a shower.