The peak instantaneous current in a certain lightning stroke is 21,700 A vertically upward. The current is approximately constant at this value for 1.2 10-4 s.
(a) Find the charge transferred to the ground during this time interval.
(b) The current at one point in the lightning bolt is produced by electrons moving at a speed of 1.1 107 m/s through a circular cross section of radius 0.90 cm. What is the number of electrons per m3 in the discharge?
c) Assuming this same electron density throughout, what is the total charge contained in a 1.0 km long lightning bolt that has an average cross-sectional area of 1.0 cm2?