Answer :
Final answer:
A typical lightning bolt possesses about one billion joules of energy and can heat the air to 20,000 to 30,000 degrees Celsius, which is hotter than the surface of the Sun. Superbolts are rarer and even more powerful and energetic than average lightning strikes.
Explanation:
Lightning is a powerful natural electrical discharge caused by imbalances between storm clouds and the ground, or within the clouds themselves. A typical lightning bolt can release a significant amount of energy. To quantify, an average bolt of lightning, striking from cloud to ground, contains about one billion (1,000,000,000) joules of energy. This amount is enough to power a 100-watt lightbulb for about three months.
The temperature of a lightning bolt is extremely high. A lightning strike can heat the air through which it passes to temperatures of approximately 20,000 to 30,000 degrees Celsius (36,000 to 54,000 degrees Fahrenheit). This is hotter than the surface of the Sun, which is about 5,500 degrees Celsius (9,932 degrees Fahrenheit).
Superbolts are exceptionally powerful lightning strikes. While hard to quantify exactly due to their rarity, superbolts can be many times more energetic than average lightning bolts. They are not entirely understood, but research indicates that they can also reach higher temperatures and carry more electrical charge, making them significantly more powerful.
