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Can lightning bend metal?

Physics Asked on March 5, 2021

If lightning strikes a metal pole, will it bend because of the force exerted by Earth’s magnetic field on the current?

One Answer

The intensity of Earth's magnetic field is 25 to 65 µT. The electric current of a typical lightning strike is about 30 kA. The resulting Laplace force is around 1 Newton per meter of pole. A pole or rod wide enough to not be vaporized by the current would most likely not be bent by such a small force.

For comparison, a typical telephone pole with a diameter of 20 cm would be subjected to the same force by a wind speed of ~10 km/h (light breeze).

Answered by Aetol on March 5, 2021

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