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NatureSurprise 4/5Difficulty 2/5Reviewed on September 17, 2026

A lightning bolt can contain up to one billion volts.

Why it is true

An average lightning bolt carries a current of about 30,000 amperes and a potential difference that can reach one billion volts. That is enough to light a 100-watt bulb for three months. The total energy is enormous, but it lasts only a few millionths of a second.

Source: NOAA

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