A tall building is fitted with a metal lightning conductor that is connected to Earth…
PHYSICS · Single correct · CBSE · Physics · Pressure, Winds, Storms, and Cyclones · Pressure, Winds, Storms, and Cyclones
Problem
A tall building is fitted with a metal lightning conductor that is connected to Earth and ends in a sharp point above the roof. Which statement best explains how the conductor protects the building during a thunderstorm?
(a) The metal rod neutralises the cloud charge by induction before a stroke can begin.
(b) The sharp, grounded point steadily leaks charge, keeping the building at nearly the same potential as the cloud so that a strike never develops.
(c) The conductor provides a low-resistance, direct path to Earth so that any lightning current flows safely to ground without dangerously raising the building’s potential.
(d) The rod’s charge repels the approaching discharge, forcing the lightning to jump sideways and miss the building.