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Question
What are the forms of energy into which the electrical energy of the atmosphere is dissipated during a lightning?
(Hint: The earth has an electric field of about 100 Vm−1 at its surface in the downward direction, corresponding to a surface charge density = −10−9 C m−2. Due to the slight conductivity of the atmosphere up to about 50 km (beyond which it is good conductor), about + 1800 C is pumped every second into the earth as a whole. The earth, however, does not get discharged since thunderstorms and lightning occurring continually all over the globe pump an equal amount of negative charge on the earth.)
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Solution
During lightning and thunderstorm, light energy, heat energy, and sound energy are dissipated in the atmosphere.
RELATED QUESTIONS
Describe schematically the equipotential surfaces corresponding to
(a) a constant electric field in the z-direction,
(b) a field that uniformly increases in magnitude but remains in a constant (say, z) direction,
(c) a single positive charge at the origin, and
(d) a uniform grid consisting of long equally spaced parallel charged wires in a plane.
The top of the atmosphere is at about 400 kV with respect to the surface of the earth, corresponding to an electric field that decreases with altitude. Near the surface of the earth, the field is about 100 Vm−1. Why then do we not get an electric shock as we step out of our house into the open? (Assume the house to be a steel cage so there is no field inside!)
Draw equipotential surfaces:
(1) in the case of a single point charge and
(2) in a constant electric field in Z-direction. Why are the equipotential surfaces about a single charge not equidistant?
(3) Can electric field exist tangential to an equipotential surface? Give reason
What is the geometrical shape of equipotential surfaces due to a single isolated charge?
Draw the equipotential surfaces due to an electric dipole. Locate the points where the potential due to the dipole is zero.
Two identical point charges, q each, are kept 2m apart in the air. A third point charge Q of unknown magnitude and sign is placed on the line joining the charges such that the system remains in equilibrium. Find the position and nature of Q.
Depict the equipotential surface due to
(i) an electric dipole,
(ii) two identical positive charges separated by a distance.
Write two important characteristics of equipotential surfaces.
Statement - 1: For practical purpose, the earth is used as a reference at zero potential in electrical circuits.
Statement - 2: The electrical potential of a sphere of radius R with charge Q uniformly distributed on the surface is given by `Q/(4piepsilon_0R)`.
S1 and S2 are the two imaginary surfaces enclosing the charges +q and -q as shown. The electric flux through S1 and S2 are respectively ______.
Equipotentials at a great distance from a collection of charges whose total sum is not zero are approximately.
- The potential at all the points on an equipotential surface is same.
- Equipotential surfaces never intersect each other.
- Work done in moving a charge from one point to other on an equipotential surface is zero.
Can two equipotential surfaces intersect each other?
The work done to move a charge along an equipotential from A to B ______.
- cannot be defined as `- int_A^B E.dl`
- must be defined as `- int_A^B E.dl`
- is zero.
- can have a non-zero value.
Find the equation of the equipotentials for an infinite cylinder of radius r0, carrying charge of linear density λ.
What is meant by an equipotential surface?
