Determine the force per meter on a lightning bolt at the equator that carries 20 000 A and is perpendicular to the Earth’s magnetic field, 3x10-5 T. What is the direction of the force if the current is straight up and the Earth’s field direction is due north which is parallel to the ground.
To determine the force per meter on a lightning bolt, we can use the formula for the magnetic force on a current-carrying wire.
The formula for the magnetic force (F) on a current-carrying wire is given by:
F = B * I * L * sin(θ)
Where:
- F is the force on the wire
- B is the magnetic field strength
- I is the current flowing through the wire
- L is the length of the wire
- θ is the angle between the direction of the current and the magnetic field
In this case, the length of the wire (L) is not given, but we can assume it to be 1 meter for simplicity. So, L = 1 meter.
Given:
- I = 20,000 A (current flowing through the wire)
- B = 3x10^-5 T (magnetic field strength)
Now, let's calculate the force per meter on the lightning bolt.
F = B * I * L * sin(θ)
F = (3x10^-5 T) * (20,000 A) * (1 m) * sin(θ)
The direction of the force can be determined by the right-hand rule. If the current is straight up and the magnetic field is due north (parallel to the ground), the force will be perpendicular to both the current and the magnetic field, pointing eastward or westward.
Note: To determine the exact direction, we need to know the angle θ between the current and the magnetic field, which is not provided in the question.