2006-07-19 07:41:59 · 14 answers · asked by catchup 3 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Weather
A rule of thumb is to count the time from when you see the flash to when you hear the thunder. For every 5 seconds you count, the lightning is about 1 mile away.
This of course is not very precise, but in a pinch it will give you a general idea.
P.S. It is 5 seconds/mile, not 1. Source listed below.
2006-07-19 07:45:31 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
The sound of the lightning occurs at the instant of the lightning flash (It's caused by the bolt of lightning displacing air that then rushes back in to cause the noise) --so the thunder sound travels to you at the rate of sound though the air. There is an exact number of feet per second that sound travels but it varies depending on several factors. However, it is always very, very close to one-fifth of a mile per second. So start timing, by seconds, when you see the flash of lightning. When the sound arrives, divide the number of seconds by five and that is how many miles away the lightning was.
There's a catch however... Most people assume that measurement is the distance across the ground that the lightning is away from you and that may or may not be true. Most lightning flashes are actually from cloud to cloud, not sky to ground. So the distance is usually a vertical slant and if you get something like a one mile distance, it is quite possible that the lightning occurred directly above you, just one mile up in the sky.
2006-07-19 07:53:40 · answer #2 · answered by The Analyst 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The speed of light is instataneous but the speed of sound is about 600 feet per second at sea level. This means that, if you see a flash of lightening and count to 10 seconds, the lightening would be 6000 feet away from you.
The easy way to find out how far is, just start counting when you see the flash and multiply the seconds times 600... so 5 seconds would mean 3000 feet or just over half a mile, etc.
2006-07-19 07:50:40 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Lightning and thunder interval can tell you how far the lightning is. If the sound of thunder can be heard within a second of the flash from lightning. It is around 344 meters away. The longer the interval, the farther the ligtning is. The sound of speed is 344 meter per second.
2006-07-19 07:48:29 · answer #4 · answered by galactic_man_of_leisure 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Measure the time between the lightning and the thunder in seconds. Divide that time by 5, and it will give you the approximate distance in miles.
Keep in mind, sound velocity varies considerably, and counting "1 Mississippi, 2 Mississipi" to get your seconds is prone to considerable error as well (especially at distance longer than 10 miles).
2006-07-19 07:50:05 · answer #5 · answered by Favoured 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Measure the time in seconds between the lighning and the thunder. Divide by 5 and that will be the approximate number of miles away. Sound travels at around 1100 feet per second.
2006-07-19 07:47:15 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Speed of sound is 330m/s.
Thunder is followed by lightning. Speed of light is almost instantaneous.
Therefore after lightning we measue the time for thunder to be heared.
If it takes 3 seconds then the distance is 3x330m= 990m or 1 kilo meter roughly.
2006-07-19 07:50:22 · answer #7 · answered by Pearlsawme 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You hav to start counting at the moment you see the lighting. Sound speed is 300 km/hour. when you count for example to 3 seconds, so the lightning is 900 meters far.
2006-07-19 07:48:14 · answer #8 · answered by bujaki.tibor 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Count the seconds between the flash and the BOOM. Each second is about 1/4 mile.
2006-07-19 07:45:42 · answer #9 · answered by ToddCommish 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have heard that when you see the lightening flash count the seconds until you hear thunder. It is proximately 1 mile per second away from you.
2006-07-19 08:52:24 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋