2006-09-19 10:33:25 · 5 answers · asked by hammer 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Weather
Hi. Sound travels at about 1,000 feet per second, so every second is about 1,000 feet, 5 is a mile, etc...
2006-09-19 10:35:54 · answer #1 · answered by Cirric 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
The flash from lightning will get to you at the speed of light. For all practical purposes, you see it instantaneously. The sound travels more slowly, going 761 mph, or about 0.2 miles per second.
So if you start counting seconds after you see a flash of light and stop when you hear the thunder, the bolt was one mile away for every five seconds you counted.
If you see another flash BEFORE you hear the thunder, though, stop counting altogether and try again with a different lightning bolt. With two sound waves travelling through the air, there's no way to tell which one came from which lightning bolt just by listening, so any answer you get after that will have at least a 50% chance of being wrong unless you've get a very, very small storm.
2006-09-19 17:38:49 · answer #2 · answered by Doctor Why 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Bob the Builder counts by elephants:
1 elephant, 2 elephants, 3 elephants, 4 elephants, etc.
I have four kids!?
2006-09-19 17:42:27 · answer #3 · answered by snowy 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, for every 5 seconds that you count before you hear the sound it is about 1mi or 1.2km
5sec=1mi
5sec=1.2km
2006-09-19 17:42:48 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
the only way i know of is...
1-1000
2- 1000
3-1000
4-1000
5-1000
until you hear thunder
hope that helps you.
2006-09-19 17:37:24 · answer #5 · answered by Gina 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋