2007-02-12 14:39:00 · 16 answers · asked by nick w 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Weather
when lightning strikes, it emits a sound, that sound is thunder. however, since the speed of light is much faster than the speed of sound, we see the lightning before we hear the thunder that it has created. thats why if you count the number of seconds between the lightning and the thunder, you can determine how far away the lightning strike was. i think its like the number of seconds divided by five is how many miles away it struck, but i could be wrong
2007-02-12 14:44:41 · answer #1 · answered by andrew b 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Lightning heats the air very quickly. The hot air expands rapidly and produces a shock wave. You hear the shock wave as thunder. The light from the lightning travels at the speed of light while the shockwave travels at the speed of sound. If you count the seconds between the lightning and the thunder you will know how far away the lightning is. It is three seconds per kilometre.
By the way, there is no "e" in lightning.
2007-02-12 16:33:41 · answer #2 · answered by tentofield 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Lightning first.
Thunder is caused by the super-heated air that lightening creates. The temperature of the bolt exceeds 50,000 degrees F...which can't help but violently heat the air, and create a shock-wave that makes the thunderous boom.
Hence the kids game of counting the time that elapses between when you see the flash, and when you hear the boom, to tell you how far away the lightening was. Like the others said, light is way faster than sound.
I had the thrill of having lightening strike about 25 feet from me, and there was NO delay between the flash, and the LOUDEST thunder boom I've ever heard.
2007-02-12 14:47:42 · answer #3 · answered by foreverhalloween 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Lightning and Thunder occur at the same time. However, light travels faster than sound so the light looks like it happens first.
2007-02-12 14:58:08 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Lightning happens first, then thunder. If you see lightning and then count the seconds til the thunder and you get five seconds between them, then lightning struck about a mile away. Sound travels at about a fifth of a second. Understand?
2007-02-12 14:45:08 · answer #5 · answered by camorabbit 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes lightning is before thunder.
2007-02-12 14:46:17 · answer #6 · answered by concernedjean 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
whilst lightning strikes, the accompanying thunder happens in simple terms approximately instananeously, however the mild produced via lightning travels at 186,000 miles according to 2nd on a similar time as sound travels at a lots slower a million,one hundred ft according to 2nd. The greater distant the observer is from the lightning strike; the greater suitable the hollow between the lightning and thunder - approximately 5 seconds for each mile.
2016-12-17 08:44:42 · answer #7 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
lightning before thunder because light is faster than sound
2007-02-12 14:42:59 · answer #8 · answered by tank 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It occurs at the same time in the sky, but the lightning reaches your eyes before the thunder reaches your ears...because light is faster than sound.
2007-02-12 14:42:28 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 5⤊ 1⤋
Yeah. If thunder is really loud, that is a clue that the lightning almost struck a nearby place
2007-02-14 04:02:13 · answer #10 · answered by Justin 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋