the spark that is seen between a person's hair and a hard rubber comb used in the hair on a dry day?
2007-09-11 01:31:12 · 6 answers · asked by Chris 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Weather
The amount of amperage...take that harmless spark and kick it up a few million volts, give it some potential and some current flow and you have lightning...a killer strike has enough power to reach as much as thirty miles...k ;o)
2007-09-11 01:42:12 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The energy level of the static build-up. The the charge between the comb and the hair would be something on the order of a fraction of a coulomb and a few dozen volts. The charge in a bolt of lighting would be in the millions of coulombs at millions of volts. Since the energy content is the product of charge and voltage, the energy in the lightning bolt is in the range of trillions of times larger than that of the comb and hair.
You asked "What is the only difference..." The answer is not voltage, because charge is also different. The only single thing different about them is the amount of energy.
2007-09-11 08:37:00 · answer #2 · answered by Gary H 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The only difference is the voltage, amps and watts of the spark, Lightning is much more powerful than the spark you get from the items you mentioned, besides, lightning can kill.
2007-09-11 08:40:05 · answer #3 · answered by trey98607 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The amount of voltage is the only difference.
2007-09-11 08:39:55 · answer #4 · answered by Billy Butthead 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The amount of electric potential or voltage is different.
2007-09-11 15:24:59 · answer #5 · answered by Renaissance Man 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Voltage and current values
2007-09-11 08:39:07 · answer #6 · answered by medicine wheel 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋