The photograph shows a statue of Buddha in Sri Lanka, which is protected by a lightning conductor.
During a storm, a potential difference of 2.7 MV was generated between a cloud and the top of the lightning conductor on the statue. A flash of lightning passed between the cloud and the lightning conductor, producing a current of 25 kA for a time of 7.5 ms.
Calculate the energy transferred by the lightning strike.
Energy transferred = ............................................
The lightning conductor is a length of copper wire with a diameter of 1.2 × 10–2 m and a resistance of 4.3 × 10−3 Ω. It runs along the back of the statue from the base to a height of 1.5 m above the top of the statue.
A guidebook claims that the statue is over 30 m high.
Assess the validity of this claim.
resistivity of copper = 1.7 × 10−8 Ω m
Give a reason why the lightning conductor should be taller than the statue.
Did this page help you?