SUMMARY
A strong lightning bolt transfers approximately 24 coulombs (C) of charge to Earth, resulting in the transfer of a significant number of electrons. The charge of a single electron is −1.60218 × 10−19 C. Using the equation Q = ne, where Q is the total charge, n is the number of electrons, and e is the elementary charge, one can calculate the number of electrons transferred by rearranging the equation to n = Q/e. This results in the transfer of about 1.5 x 1020 electrons.
PREREQUISITES
- Understanding of electric charge and coulombs
- Familiarity with the concept of elementary charge
- Basic knowledge of algebraic equations
- Awareness of the relationship between charge and electron transfer
NEXT STEPS
- Study the concept of electric charge and its units in detail
- Learn about the properties of electrons and their role in electricity
- Explore the implications of charge transfer in lightning phenomena
- Investigate other applications of the equation Q = ne in different contexts
USEFUL FOR
Students studying physics, educators teaching electricity concepts, and anyone interested in understanding the principles of charge transfer in electrical phenomena.