Or a thunderbolt?
2007-04-26 14:40:57 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Weather
Lightning is an atmospheric discharge of electricity, which usually, but not always, occurs during rain storms, and frequently during volcanic eruptions or dust storms.
-An abrupt, discontinuous natural electric discharge in the atmosphere.
-The visible flash of light accompanying such a discharge.
Thunder is, even today, not completely understood by science. The word usually describes 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.
This phenomenon occurs at the same time as a lightning flash, but a thunder clap is usually heard after lightning is seen because light travels faster (186,000 miles / 299,338 kilometers per second) than sound (around 700 miles / 1,126 kilometers per hour, varying depending on temperature, humidity and air pressure).
A thunderbolt is a traditional expression for a discharge of lightning or a symbolic representation thereof. As a divine manifestation it has been a powerful symbol throughout history, and has appeared in many mythologies. Drawing from this powerful association, the thunderbolt is often found in military symbolism and semiotic representations of electricity.
2007-04-27 00:20:27 · answer #1 · answered by Hzl 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Lightning is the streak of light you see run through the sky or hit the ground. This is also called a thunderbolt. Thunder is the sound of the lightning instantly superheating the air around it to 5 times the temperature the surface of the sun! Hope this helps:)
2007-04-26 14:46:27 · answer #2 · answered by Tyler T 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Lightning is an electrical discharge between the ground and the cloud or between one part of the cloud and another. As the lightning passes through the air, it heats it very rapidly and the air expands. The sudden expansion establishes a shock wave that we hear as thunder.
2007-04-26 14:46:43 · answer #3 · answered by tentofield 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Lightning is a huge spark. Thunder is the noise lightning makes.
2007-04-26 14:44:51 · answer #4 · answered by Chug-a-Lug 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
lightining is an electrical charge thateminates from a cloud and thunder is the noise you hear after the ligtining,you can easily tell how close a storm is from where you live as to where the storm is by timing the lightining from the thunder,if the thunder is fiver miutes after the lightining bolt then the storm is very close. withapeninhand33
2007-04-26 15:53:43 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Lightning is seen, thunder is heard.
2007-04-26 15:16:23 · answer #6 · answered by Silver 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
thunder is the sound resulting from the bolt (large static shock) you see. Notice that you never see the bolt and here the sound at the same time. That is because sound travels much slower than light.
2007-04-26 14:45:15 · answer #7 · answered by baseb11 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
lightening is the static electricity between the earth and the atmosphere and the thunder is the sound it makes.
2007-04-26 14:45:22 · answer #8 · answered by Steven F 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
lighting is the flash and comes before the thunder which is the noise
2007-04-26 14:45:31 · answer #9 · answered by triple_thought 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
lightning is the light
thunder is the sound
2007-04-26 14:43:25 · answer #10 · answered by Kasturi R 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋