Lightning As a crude model for lightning, consider the ground to be one plate of

Question

Lightning As a crude model for lightning, consider the ground to be one plate of a parallel-plate capacitor and a cloud at an altitude of 500m to be the other plate. Assume the surface area of the cloud to be the same as the area of a square that is 0.80km on a side. (Dielectric strength of air is 3.0 x 10^6 V/m). What is the capacitance of this capacitor? Express your answer using two significant figures. How much charge can the cloud hold before the dielectric strength of the air is exceeded and a spark (lightning) results? Express your answer using two significant figures.

Explanation / Answer

C=A*epsilon/d

=11.33nF

E=(charge/Area)/epsilon

=q/(A*epsilon)=3*10^6

So

q=17 Coulombs

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