A strong lightning bolt transfers about 21.45 C to Earth. How many electrons are transferred? The elemental charge is 1.602 × 10^−19 C.
To determine the number of electrons transferred, we need to calculate the ratio of the charge transferred to the charge of a single electron. Here's how you can do it:
1. Calculate the ratio of the transferred charge to the charge of a single electron:
Charge ratio = Transfered charge / Charge of a single electron
Transfered charge = 21.45 C
Charge of a single electron = 1.602 × 10^−19 C
Charge ratio = 21.45 C / (1.602 × 10^−19 C)
2. Simplify the expression by dividing the transfered charge by the charge of a single electron:
Charge ratio = 1.3367 × 10^20
3. The charge ratio represents the number of elementary charges (electrons) transferred during the lightning bolt. Therefore, the number of electrons transferred is 1.3367 × 10^20 electrons.
So, approximately 1.3367 × 10^20 electrons are transferred during a strong lightning bolt.