- #1
phosgene
- 146
- 1
Homework Statement
During a thunderstorm Bill and Corky are caught outside in the middle of an extremely large paddock (with no trees, houses or any structures in sight). Bill, who is extremely tall and flexible, curls up into a perfect 1 metre diameter ball. Corky who is only 1 metre tall and skinny just stands upright. Using physics principles explain who do you think is most likely to be struck bu lightning and why.
Homework Equations
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The Attempt at a Solution
I think that Bill is more likely to be hit by lightning. His body will offer less resistance to the electrical current as the cross-sectional area of his body is larger. I was thinking that maybe it would also be influenced by the surface area of each, the one with the larger surface area to volume ratio losing charge faster...but I decided that this probably wouldn't influence the situation much. I'm really unsure about my answer because google is telling me very different things about lightning strikes!