<P> In the 1990s, the' lightning points' were replaced as originally constructed when the Statue of Freedom atop the United States Capitol building in Washington, D.C. was restored . The statue was designed with multiple devices that are tipped with platinum . The Washington Monument also was equipped with multiple lightning points, and the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor gets hit by lightning, which is shunted to ground . </P> <P> A lightning protection system is designed to protect a structure from damage due to lightning strikes by intercepting such strikes and safely passing their extremely high currents to ground . A lightning protection system includes a network of air terminals, bonding conductors, and ground electrodes designed to provide a low impedance path to ground for potential strikes . </P> <P> Lightning protection systems are used to prevent or lessen lightning strike damage to structures . Lightning protection systems mitigate the fire hazard which lightning strikes pose to structures . A lightning protection system provides a low - impedance path for the lightning current to lessen the heating effect of current flowing through flammable structural materials . If lightning travels through porous and water - saturated materials, these materials may literally explode if their water content is flashed to steam by heat produced from the high current . This is why trees are often shattered by lightning strikes . </P> <P> Because of the high energy and current levels associated with lightning (currents can be in excess of 150,000 amps), and the very rapid rise time of a lightning strike, no protection system can guarantee absolute safety from lightning . Lightning current will divide to follow every conductive path to ground, and even the divided current can cause damage . Secondary "side - flashes" can be enough to ignite a fire, blow apart brick, stone, or concrete, or injure occupants within a structure or building . However, the benefits of basic lightning protection systems have been evident for well over a century . </P>

The most suitable metal that can be used as a lightning conductor is