Question

It can be inferred from the information in the passage that the term "breakdown potential" as used in the passage refers to:

• A. a charge polarity sufficient to cause lightning.
• B. the intensity of the lightning bolt.
• C. the distance between the negatively charged earth and the positively charged cloud.
• D. the duration of the lightning event
• E. the point at which a cloud breaks down

Answer 1

The correct option is A a charge polarity sufficient to cause lightning.

It is given in the passage that ’a charge begins to build up in this mixed water and ice region’. Next line talks about the breakdown potential which causes lightning. Hence we can infer that it refers to the max charge that can be held by the clouds until lightning is induced. This is given in option (a).