2006-11-20 18:17:31 · 9 answers · asked by mrbagobeans 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Weather
It's impossible to have lightning without thunder and thunder without lightning. If you see lightning but don't hear thunder it's probably because you are too far away. Lightning is pretty darn bright and can be seen for tens of miles. Thunder is a compression wave and will dissipate with time and distance.
Under excellent conditions, thunder can be heard about 12 miles away from the lightning strike. However most of the time conditions aren't this good and we usually can't hear thunder any more than about 7 miles away. Likewise, if you hear thunder and don't see lightning, it's probably because the lightning occurred inside the cloud and was obscured by the cloud itself or rain.
2006-11-20 18:24:51 · answer #1 · answered by Michael H 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Lightning But No Thunder
2017-01-17 09:40:41 · answer #2 · answered by sones 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Depending on how far away you are from the storm, you may see lightning but hear no thunder, this is because
the speed of light = 299 792 458 m / s
the spreed of sound = 340.29 m / s
therefore there is a great chance that you will see the lightning but never hear the thunder
2006-11-20 18:30:33 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Thunder is not completely understood by science, but it is widely accepted that thunder is the sonic shock wave that accompanies a lightning bolt. So by that definition no, you can't have lightning without thunder. The Wikipedia article on thunder is linked below.
2006-11-20 18:29:29 · answer #4 · answered by Bael 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No this is not possible(as far as natural lightning is concerned)..but if u can somehow produce lightning in vaccum it would make no sound at all because sounde waves are mechanical waves i.e. they need a medium to travel.
2006-11-20 18:41:40 · answer #5 · answered by Sam Mckinley 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes.
Lightning is the flash, thunder is the noise.
it depends where you are.
2006-11-20 18:27:16 · answer #6 · answered by The Main Man at Yahoo 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
No. But, it is possible for you to be so far away that you don't hear it.
2006-11-20 18:43:16 · answer #7 · answered by Chris J 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
i don't think so.
http://www.lightningsafety.com/nlsi_info/thunder2.html
look there.
2006-11-20 18:25:31 · answer #8 · answered by imcool_likeyou 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
no
2006-11-20 18:26:29 · answer #9 · answered by craminator 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋