Why do you see a flash of lightning seconds before you hear the thunder associated with it?

Question

Acoustic Physics

Answer 1

Light travels at 186,000 miles per second and sound travels at 700 MPH depending on humidity and elevation.
If you count the seconds from the lightning to the thunder and divide by five, you have the approx number of miles of distance the lightning is away from you.

Answer 2

Light travels at 186,000 miles per second, while sound travels at a little over 700 miles per hour. Light is about a million times faster than sound, so when you see the lightning bolt, you see it at essentially the instant that it actually occurred. However, the sound of the thunder from the bolt, being much slower, can take a much longer time to reach your ears. The booming sound you hear is for an event that's already happened and over with.

If you count the number of seconds from the lightning flash to when you hear the thunder and divide by 5, you'll have an approximation of how far away in miles the lightning occurred. Sound travels 1 mile about every 5 seconds.

Answer 3

Lightning is the CAUSE of the thunder. The vacuum left by the lightning (which you may or may not see) is filled by rushing air, and that is what effects the thunder.

BTW if you count the seconds from viewing the lightning to when you hear the thunder it produces, every 5 seconds approximates 1 mile of distance separating you from the lightning strike. So if you see/hear almost simultaneously be sure you're safe.

Answer 4

you do not 'hear' lightning. You 'hear' thunder, that's the sound of the air clapping returned mutually after the lightning rips it aside. So, oftentimes, you will see lightning, after which you will hear the ensuing thunder. because of the fact it takes sound time to return and forth, you are able to diploma how some distance away the lightning is by skill of ways long it takes so you might hear the ensuing thunder. by skill of counting, one thousand one, one thousand 2, and so on, you are able to choose what number miles away that's. contained with regards to very close by lightning, the ensuing thunder will take place in basic terms approximately without delay, yet by no skill at precisely a similar instantaneous. by skill of ways, in case you experience the hair on the returned of your neck arise, stand with your ft mutually, considering which you will get hit by skill of lightning. with your ft aside, the lightning coming contained in the direction of the floor can return and forth up one leg, by using your physique and go into reverse the different leg. ft mutually ought to point your survival.

Answer 5

because the speed of light is much faster than the speed of sound therefore the light reaches you before the sound does

Answer 6

light travels much faster than sound.