why IS there thunder and lightning? NOT why is there NO thunder and lightning in wherever
2007-03-12 18:10:40 · 3 answers · asked by okkim100 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Weather
Thunder - Rapid heating of the air causes it to expand and contract violently. This expanding and contracting makes the sound we hear as thunder.
Lightning - Is an electrical discharge in the atmosphere. Lightning can happen cloud to ground, cloud to cloud, or within a cloud. Cloud to ground lightning begins when the electric field in a local area of the cloud reaches 3 million volts per meter. All this built up electrical energy must discharge somewhere, and we see it as lightning.
2007-03-13 04:13:07 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Lightning is a discharge of built-up atmospheric static electricity, usually between a thundercloud and the ground. Once the charge buildup exceeds the ability of the atmosphere to insulate against a discharge, the lightning bolt occurs. Thunder of course is the auditory experience of the rapid expansion and contraction of air immediately around the lightning bolt, due to its extremely high temperature.
I'll leave the question as to why static electricity builds up in thunderclouds (or elsewhere) in the first place, for another time, since I'm not sure you really are asking about that.
2007-03-14 08:49:37 · answer #2 · answered by yoericd 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Lightening is basically a short ciruit discharge of electricity. The bolt of electricity super heats the air and causes a vacuum. When the air claps back together it makes a soundwave which we hear as thunder.
2007-03-13 01:11:26 · answer #3 · answered by rico3151 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋