During a thunderstorm, the potential difference between the thunderclouds and the ground builds up to [tex]1.5 \times 10^6[/tex] V. In each stroke of lightning, 30 C of charge passes between the thunderclouds and the ground. Lightning strokes to the ground occur, on average, at 2-minute intervals.

Calculate:

i) The average current between the thunderclouds and the ground.

ii) The energy transferred in each stroke of lightning.

I don't think that's exactly what this website is here for. / / / The average current = 30 C / 120 sec = 250 mA. / / / 1 volt = 1 joule/coulomb ... 30 C x 1.5 x 10^6 J/C = 4.5 x 10^7 joules per stroke. / / / Apoligies for the formatting. Some websites recognize a CR-LF from a mobile device, and others don't.

Answered by AL2006 | 2024-06-10

Calculating Current and Energy in a Lightning Strike
To determine the average current during a lightning strike, we can use the definition of current (I) which is the charge (Q) transferred per unit time (t). Given that each lightning stroke transfers a charge of 30C and occurs at 2-minute intervals, we convert 2 minutes to seconds (2 minutes * 60 seconds/minute = 120 seconds) and then use the formula I = Q/t to calculate the average current: I = 30C / 120s = 0.25 A (Amperes).
The energy transferred in each stroke of lightning can be calculated using the formula for electrical energy (E), which is the product of the potential difference (V), the charge (Q), and the time duration of the strike (although time is not necessary if we know the potential difference and the charge). Since the potential difference is given to be 1.5 x 10⁶ V and the charge transferred is 30C, we use E = V * Q to find the energy: E = 1.5 x 10⁶ V * 30C = 45 x 10⁶J (Joules).

Answered by DestinyHopeCyrus | 2024-06-24

The average current between the thunderclouds and the ground is 0.25 A (or 250 mA). The energy transferred in each stroke of lightning is 4.5 × 1 0 7 J .
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Answered by AL2006 | 2024-09-03