Question

Part 1:

A strong lightning bolt transfers about 22.65 C to Earth. How many electrons are transferred? The elemental charge is 1.602 x 10^ -19 C.

Part 2:

The lightning bolt discharge lasts one millisecond. What is the average current flowing from the cloud to the ground? Answer in units of A.

Answer 1

Part 1 :

1.602 x 10⁻¹⁹ Coulomb per electron means

1 / 1.602 x 10⁻¹⁹ electrons per Coulomb.

OK.

(1 / 1.602 x 10⁻¹⁹ electrons/C) x (22.65 C) = 1.414 x 10²⁰ electrons

= = = = = = = = = =

Part 2 :

Current = (amount of charge that flows) / (how long it flows)

Current = (22.65 Coulombs) / (0.001 second)

Current = 22,650 Amperes

This is a lotta current !