During lightning strikes from a cloud to the ground, currents as high as 25000 A can occur and last for about 40μs. How much charge is transferred from the cloud to the earth during such a strike?
Question
During lightning strikes from a cloud to the ground, currents as high as 25000 A can occur and last for about 40μs. How much charge is transferred from the cloud to the earth during such a strike?
Solution
To calculate the amount of charge transferred from the cloud to the earth during a lightning strike, we can use the formula:
Q = I * t
Where: Q is the charge transferred I is the current (in amperes) t is the time duration (in seconds)
Given that the current during the lightning strike is 25000 A and the duration is 40 μs (which is equivalent to 40 * 10^-6 seconds), we can substitute these values into the formula:
Q = 25000 A * 40 * 10^-6 s
Simplifying the equation:
Q = 1000 C
Therefore, during such a lightning strike, approximately 1000 Coulombs of charge is transferred from the cloud to the earth.
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