2006-10-10 22:11:59 · 18 answers · asked by Irish... 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Earth Sciences & Geology
Thunder is, even today, not completely understood by modern science. The word usually describes a sonic shock wave caused by the rapid heating and expansion of the air surrounding and within a bolt of lightning. The bolt changes the air into plasma and it instantly explodes causing the sound known as a thunder clap.
This phenomenon occurs at the same time as a lightning flash but a thunderclap is usually heard after lightning is seen because light travels faster (186,000 miles / 299,338 kilometers per second) than sound (around 700 miles / 1,126 kilometers per hour but varies depending on temperature, humidity and air pressure.) In very close proximity to the lighting strike, sound and light can be heard and seen almost simultaneously.
2006-10-10 22:21:56 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Lightning (electricity) heats the air around it very quickly to very high temperatures. The air expands as it is heated, and it expands very rapidly, faster than the speed of sound, causing a shock wave which makes a sonic boom. This is the bang you hear.
As light travels faster than sound, you will see the lightning before hearing the thunder. As sound travels at a predictable speed, you can tell roughly how far away the lightning is by counting the seconds between seeing the flash and hearing the thunder - approximately 5 seconds to one mile.
You will hear more of a bang than a rumble when the lightning is very close because the sound has spread out less by the time it gets to you.
2006-10-11 07:38:53 · answer #2 · answered by junkmonkey1983 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That is the sound of the Lightning. Because the speed of light is faster than the speed of sound, you see the lightning before you hear the thunder. The nearer the flash, the quicker you'll hear the thunder.
2006-10-11 05:17:54 · answer #3 · answered by msmith1306 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Lightning is basically a giant short circuit on a biblical scale. When lightning flashes it is actually burning the air and this creates a vacuum. After the lightning flash the air slams back together because nature hates a vacuum and it does it with such tremendous force it can actually be heard (thunder)
2006-10-11 07:15:18 · answer #4 · answered by Captleemo 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Thunder is the noise created by lightning.
2006-10-12 06:27:09 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The heat that lightning creates superheating the surrounding air
2006-10-11 14:30:32 · answer #6 · answered by ec_sincity 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The electricity burns the gasses out of the atmosphere, creating a vacuum. When the air refills that vacuum it makes the noise.
2006-10-11 05:20:05 · answer #7 · answered by Warren D 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
It's the sudden heating of air by the lightning and its collapse back into place.
2006-10-11 05:15:12 · answer #8 · answered by Owlwings 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
the interaction of ions of different polarity plus the friction produced by the movement of these ions makes the roaring sound when it thunders
2006-10-11 05:19:14 · answer #9 · answered by hussainalimalik1983 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
It is god playing skittles, when the ball hits the pins, thats what we were told by our teacher in the 1950s
2006-10-12 10:40:45 · answer #10 · answered by Seaman Staines 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋