How many volts can a lightning bolt reach?
1 billion volts
Lightning can have 100 million to 1 billion volts, and contains billions of watts.
Is a lightning bolt AC or DC?
Second, lightning is a direct current (DC) that would require it to be converted to alternating current (AC) so it could be used for lights and other equipment.
Can a human survive 1 billion volts?
The human body has an inherent high resistance to electric current, which means without sufficient voltage a dangerous amount of current cannot flow through the body and cause injury or death. A lightning bolt can be a billion volts and can deliver extremely high current (around 30,000 amps): Potentially lethal.
How many homes could a lightning bolt power?
Ph = 2,000 Watts x 24 hr. = 56 houses/bolt of lightning for one day. So the answer to the original question is that a big bolt could power a small, 56-house town for a day. That assumes we can catch all of that average bolt of lightning in a large capacitor.
Can we harness lightning?
Any energy captured would then need to be used immediately or stored, and converting it to the low voltage, alternating current that powers our homes is extremely difficult. Finally, the amount of energy that you could harvest from lightning may simply not justify the effort.
Can lightning fry a car?
Although every lightning strike is different, damage to the antenna, electrical system, rear windshield, and tires is common. The heat from a lightning strike is sufficient to partially melt the antenna of a vehicle and can cause what seems like a small explosion of sparks as tiny fragments of metal melt and burn.
What could you power with 1 billion volts?
Cloud-to-ground lightning bolts are a common phenomenon—about 100 strike Earth’s surface every single second—yet their power is extraordinary. Each bolt can contain up to one billion volts of electricity.