Question

A lightning bolt strikes a tree, moving 20.0 C of charge through a potential difference of 1.00×102 MV. (a) What energy was dissipated? (b) What mass of water could be raised from 15ºC to the boiling point and then boiled by this energy? (c) Discuss the damage that could be caused to the tree by the expansion of the boiling steam.

Answer 1

part a)

`U = 2* 10^9 J`

Part b)

`m = 5.6 * 10^3 kg`

Part c)

Huge damage will be there in tree

Step-by-step explanation:

Part a)

Energy loss due to charge flow through given potential difference is given as

`U = qV`

now plug in all the values in it

`U = (20 C)(1.00 * 10^2 * 10^6 V)`

`U = 2* 10^9 J`

Part b)

Now this energy is used to raise the temperature of water from 15 degree C to boiling point

So here we will have

`Q = ms\Delta T`

`2 * 10^9 = m(4186)(100 - 15)`

`m = 5.6 * 10^3 kg`

Part c)

Since in part b) we can say its a huge amount of water that will boil due to the amount of energy that strikes to the tree.

So it will make huge damage to the tree