The phenomenon of lightning is still far from being completely understood. Your

Question

The phenomenon of lightning is still far from being completely understood. Your typical cloud-to-ground lightning bolt discharges about 15 C in a time of about 500 mu s. If the potential difference between a storm cloud, and the ground is approximately 3 million volts (3 times 10^+6 V), determine the energy released in a typical lightning strike, and assuming the charges are electrons. Determine the force on an individual electron if the distance between the cloud and the ground is 3000 ft. Assume a parallel plate model.

Explanation / Answer

Parallel plate model.

C = Capacitance of the parallel plates

Enery = (1/2)*C*V2 = (1/2)* (q/V)*V2 = qV/2 = 22.5 MJ.

Force on an electron = ke2/r , where k = 8.99 x 109 N m2 / C2 ,e is charge of electron and r is 3000ft

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