How many seconds will elapse between seeing lightning and hearing the thunder if the lightning strikes 1 mile away and the air temperature is 20degrees Celsius?
2007-11-03 08:41:12 · 4 answers · asked by RoRoStar 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
First, you need to find the speed of sound at T=20C
http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/sound/souspe.html
So then you divide a mile, or 5280 feet, by 1127.296 feet/s, and it takes 4.68 seconds for the sound of the thunder to travel one mile.
Since light travels at 186,000 miles per second, I didn't calculate the time it takes to see the lightening, but it doesn't significantly affect the accuracy unless you're going for >5 digit accuracy.
2007-11-03 08:54:36 · answer #1 · answered by Kevin M 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The speed of sound is approximately 1/5 mile per second, so if the distance is 1 mile, it will take 5 seconds before you hear the thunder.
2007-11-03 08:47:24 · answer #2 · answered by Michael B 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
1 second
2007-11-03 08:44:12 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Once you see it strike start counting and when you hear the thunder, stop.. thats how many miles away it is..
2007-11-03 08:44:54 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋