does lightning make a sound?

Answer 1

I assume you have heard thunder?

Thunder is 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.

Perhaps you thought they were distinct events because we see lightning before we hear the associated thunder clap. The reason is that light travels *much* faster (around 186,000 miles per *second*), while sound only travels around 1/5th of a mile in a second.

You'd be hard pressed to experience a bolt of lightning without the associated thunder unless you were too far away to hear it over other noises.

Answer 2

Lightning doesn't make sound - thunder is the sound of lightning in air, wood splitting explosively from hitting a tree. In stage and radio productions, thunder is made with a piece of sheet metal, either hung in a frame or attached to a narrow board to form a handle across the top. Different sounds can be made with various waving gestures or striking the metal with a soft padded stick. A practiced person can produce sounds from the distant rumble through the entire course of a storm moving in to near by

Answer 3

Thunder is the noise of lightning but light travels faster than sound which is why you see the light come and go before you hear the thunder, and why you can tell how far and how fast a storm is based on the delay between them.

If i recall, but don't quote me, If you count between them and divide by five, that is how far away it is in miles. and if you time two lightning strikes, you can calculate the speed of the storm as well

Answer 4

Lightning is a giant spark. A single stroke of lightning can heat the air around it to 30,000 degrees Celsius (54,000 degrees Farhenheit)! This extreme heating causes the air to expand at an explosive rate. The expansion creates a shock wave that turns into a booming sound wave, better known as thunder. Thus the name thunderstorm.

Answer 5

Lightning does make a sound. It's called thunder.

Answer 6

the reaction of the ions in the atmosphere creates electricity--- the light produced is the lightning and the sound that is produced is the thunder--- both phenomena happens at the same time but we see the lightning first since light travels faster than the sound.... technically, the lightning, just by itself, does not produce sound since both are produced at the ame time....

Answer 7

The sound of lightning is thunder... b/c thunder comes AFTER the lightning is b/c sound travels slower then the speed of light! :)

Answer 8

lightning in the sense of the word no, however the process by which lightning forks its way to the ground/ other clouds does, that my friend is what we call thunder

I do reserve judgement on this though, should i ever nearly get struck by lightning i will let you know if i heard it coming.....grin

Answer 9

Lightning storms are so cool to watch when you are blown. It looks and sounds like a war and stuff. So trippy man. Try one day.
peace

Answer 10

Yes, it creates thunder. If you count the seconds betwen the lightning and thunder, divide it by 2 and then you will know how many miles away the storm actually is. Creepy!