Your friend invites you along on a geology field trip in the desert. You are lef
ID: 231433 • Letter: Y
Question
Your friend invites you along on a geology field trip in the desert. You are left to set up camp while your friend takes a hike to collect some samples. A few hours later a freak storm comes in while your friend is 7.0 km to the east of you. Two lightning bolts hit around you: bolt 1 9.0 km to your east and bolt 2 3.0 km to your west. You see the flash from bolt 2 at t = 17 s and the flash from bolt 1 at t = 50 s. According to your friend, were the lightning strikes simultaneous? If yes, show how you know. If not, what was the time difference between the two?
Explanation / Answer
The Clocl starts at t=0
1.At t=17 us ,you see the flash from bolt 2
2.At t=50 us ,you see the flash from bolt 1
Light from both the bolts travel at the speed of light
3*108 m/s =300 m/us
TIme taken by Bolt 1 reach you
T1 = 9000/300 =30 us
Since you see bolt 1 at 60 us ,so it strikes after 50-30 =20 us.
TIme taken by Bolt 2 reach you
T2 =3000/300 =10 us
Since you see bolt 2 at 17 us ,so it strikes after 17-10=7 us
Therefore strikes are not simultaneous ,So time difference between the two is
T=20-7 =13 us
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