A lightning bolt is about an inch wide in diameter and can be as much as 90 miles long, according to researcher Martin Uman, author of All About Lightning.
What is the average wattage of a lightning bolt?
A typical lightning flash is about 300 million Volts and about 30,000 Amps. In comparison, household current is 120 Volts and 15 Amps. There is enough energy in a typical flash of lightning to light a 100-watt incandescent light bulb for about three months or the equivalent compact fluorescent bulb for about a year.
How wide is the average lightning bolt?
While the intensity of a lightning strike can make them appear as thick bolts across the sky, the actual width of a lightning bolt is only about 2-3 cm . The average length of a lightning bolt is about 2-3 miles.
How powerful is a single lightning bolt?
Cloud-to-ground lightning bolts are a common phenomenon—about 100 strike Earth's surface every single second—yet their power is extraordinary. Each bolt can contain up to one billion volts of electricity .
How do you measure a lightning bolt?
By measuring the length of a lightning strike, multiplying it by the energy per length required to heat up the air to tens of thousands of degrees , we can calculate lightning's energy. Alternatively, we can approach the measurement of lightning energy by considering the voltage of a strike.
Is lightning hotter than the sun?
Air is a very poor conductor of electricity and gets extremely hot when lightning passes through it. In fact, lightning can heat the air it passes through to 50,000 degrees Fahrenheit ( 5 times hotter than the surface of the sun ).
What happens if lightning strikes the ocean?
Lightning doesn't strike the ocean as much as land, but when it does, it spreads out over the water , which acts as a conductor. It can hit boats that are nearby, and electrocute fish that are near the surface. ... If you can't, either stay low in the boat or retreat to a cabin.
Can a lightning bolt power a city?
There is so much power in a thunderstorm. Some places in the world are renown for the sheer number of lightning strikes they get a year. One of these places is Tampa Bay, Florida . ... This lightning city could theoretically harness the incredible power of lightning to power their city.
What type of energy is a lightning bolt?
Electrical (and light) energy from the lightning is converted into mechanical energy that causes the tree to split and thermal energy in the form of heat, Choice (C).
How do I convert volts to watts?
The formula to convert voltage to watts is watts = amps x volts.
How bright is a lightning bolt?
The light from a lightning bolt is equal to the amount of illumination from about 100 million light bulbs .
How many gigawatts are in a lightning bolt?
And while lightning strikes vary in strength, Dr. Brown was right: they can produce 1.21 gigawatts of power. That's a sobering fact when you consider that lightning is Utah's second deadliest natural hazard and has been for the last 15 years according to Utah.gov.
What is the most lightning struck place on earth?
A lightning bolt fractures the night sky. Wings of phosphorescent pink unfold to illuminate Lake Maracaibo , a brackish bay that opens north to the Caribbean Sea. A quarter of Venezuela's population lives in the highest concentration of lightning on Earth, 250 flashes per square kilometer (0.4 square miles) per year.
What is the 30 30 rule for lightning?
Don't forget the 30-30 rule. After you see lightning, start counting to 30 . If you hear thunder before you reach 30, go indoors. Suspend activities for at least 30 minutes after the last clap of thunder.
What happens if lightning strikes your house?
When you hear thunder, you know there is lightning. If lightning strikes your house, it might not catch fire, but it can damage the electrical components of your house which can start a fire . It can also damage roof shingles, chimneys, and more.
Does all lightning hit the ground?
Does lightning strike from the sky down, or the ground up? The answer is both . Cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning comes from the sky down, but the part you see comes from the ground up. ... Natural lightning can also trigger upward discharges from tall towers, like broadcast antennas.
