Consider a lightening bolt that strikes at the equator, where Earth’s magnetic field is parallel to the ground. The bolt carries 20 000 A of current toward the sky, perpindicular to the ground, to a cloud 1 km high. Assume Earth’s magnetic field strength is 5 × 10−5 T.
1. What is the magnitude of the force exerted on lightening bolt by Earth’s magnetic field?
2. What direction is the force exerted on the lightening bolt?
3. North of the Equator, Earth’s magnetic field partially points down, into the ground. This is called “magnetic dip”, and at Hays Kansas, the magnetic dip is about 65°, which means the field makes and angle of 65° with the ground. If the same bolt of lighting struck in Hays Kansas, what would the magnitude of the magnetic force exerted on it be?
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