Quote: the electric potential across the earth's atmosphere is 400,000 volts with a total electric current of 700 megawatts

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On an ordinary day over flat desert country, … potential increases by about 100 volts per meter. … [p. 9-1] A faster way [to measure the potential] is to let … it carries away any excess [negative] charge and … [p. 9-2] The total potential difference from the surface … [p. 9-3] The total electric current [due to ion drift, e.g., from cosmic rays] reaching the … a power of 700 megawatts! … it should take only about half an hour … [At 50 km, the atmosphere is almost a perfect conductor.] … [p. 9-4] It is the thunderstorms throughout the world … through regions of fair weather.   Google-1   Google-2

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Additional Titles

Quote: the upper atmosphere is almost a perfect conductor

Quote: thunderstorms recharge the atmosphere with electrons

Quote: measure the electrical potential of the atmosphere by a bucket of water with a small leak

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Topic: electricity and magnetism (50 items)