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Since the speed of light is faster than the speed of sound, you will see the lightening bolt first. If you count the seconds between the two, you will have a rough estimate as to how far away the lightening bolt is.

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Why do you see a flashed of lightning before you hear a clap of thunder?

Light travels much faster than sound, so when lightning occurs, the light reaches you almost instantly while the sound of thunder, which moves slower, takes longer to reach your ears. This delay between the two allows you to see the flash of lightning before hearing the clap of thunder.


What does it mean if you see a flash of thunder and clap of thunder at almost the exact same time?

It means your too close to the lightning!


What does it mean if you see a flash of lightning and clap of thunder at almost the exact same time?

Just for fun: If you see a clap of thunder, call a journalist! More seriously, if you see a flash of lightning and hear a clap of thunder at almost the same exact time, it means that the electrical discharge that generated both the lightning and the thunder is very close to you, and you should take precautions immediately to avoid injury to yourself. Usually, the most practical precaution is to seek shelter in a building protected by lightning rods or a metal vehicle that will conduct electricity around you more readily than through you!


What causes claps of thunder?

Lightning is very hot, about 27760 degrees Celsius. When the lightning heats the air around it , the air instantly expands, resounding with a shock wave.The clap is an indication of how close you are to the lightning strike, a sharp bang means you are very close ( the sound will come almost immediately after the strike or at the same time), if you are farther away it will sound like a rumble as the sound waves bounce off the geographical features on its way to you ( the thunder will come several seconds later than the lightning strike )As kids we used to count the seconds that it took for the thunder to resound after a lightning strike to tell how far away it was, one second for one mile


If a thunder clap is heard 4 seconds after the flash of lightnening is seen how far away is the centre of the storm?

The time difference between the flash of lightning and the sound of thunder gives an approximation of the distance from the storm. Since sound travels at about 343 meters per second in air, a 4-second delay indicates the storm is approximately 1.37 kilometers away.

Related Questions

What is a collective noun for thunder that starts with c?

The collective noun for thunder that starts with the letter "c" is "clap." In meteorology, a clap of thunder refers to the sound produced by the rapid expansion of air surrounding a lightning bolt. Thunder is created when lightning heats the air, causing it to rapidly expand and create a shock wave that we hear as thunder.


Why do you see a flashed of lightning before you hear a clap of thunder?

Light travels much faster than sound, so when lightning occurs, the light reaches you almost instantly while the sound of thunder, which moves slower, takes longer to reach your ears. This delay between the two allows you to see the flash of lightning before hearing the clap of thunder.


What is a thunder slap?

A thunder "slap" does not exist. A thunder "clap" does. A thunder clap is the term given to the sound thunder is and makes.


What does it mean if you see a flash of thunder and clap of thunder at almost the exact same time?

It means your too close to the lightning!


What is a loud noise created when lightning rapidly hits the atmosphere?

The loud noise is called 'thunder' or 'a thunder clap'. The sudden increase in pressure and temperature from lightning produces rapid expansion of the air surrounding and within a bolt of lightning. In turn, this expansion of air creates a sonic shock wave which produces the sound of thunder.


What are some Compound words with thunder lightning clap and storm?

thunderthunderclapthunderstormthunderstrucklightninglightning boltclapclapboardthunderclapstormrainstormsandstormhailstormthunderstormfirestormsnowstormbrainstormwindstorm


The clap of a thunder was heard 4 seconds after the flash of lightning was seen If the air temperature was 28 degree celsius how far was the lightning?

the lightning was 0.8 miles away.


What does it mean if you see a flash of lightning and clap of thunder at almost the exact same time?

Just for fun: If you see a clap of thunder, call a journalist! More seriously, if you see a flash of lightning and hear a clap of thunder at almost the same exact time, it means that the electrical discharge that generated both the lightning and the thunder is very close to you, and you should take precautions immediately to avoid injury to yourself. Usually, the most practical precaution is to seek shelter in a building protected by lightning rods or a metal vehicle that will conduct electricity around you more readily than through you!


What thunder is created by?

When a bolt of lightning discharges, it heats the air around it to a temperature of several thousand degrees. This causes the air to suddenly expand, creating a partial vacuum around the bolt's path. When the air rushes back into the vacuum, it creates a loud clap. The sound echoing off the clouds and ground is what we call thunder. That is why you only hear a bang when lightning strikes nearby. All of the sound is traveling away from you. When it is at a distance, you hear the rolling echoes.


Does thunder come before lightning?

Yes; light travels faster than sound. Sound is vibrational mechanical energy that propagates through matter as a wave and light, or visible light, is electromagnetic radiation of a wavelength that is visible to the human eye. Sound must travel through matter to be perceived by the human ear. Light does NOT.


What is the difference between a lightning storm and a thunderstorm?

A lightning storm is a storm that primarily consists of frequent lightning strikes with little to no rain or thunder. A thunderstorm, on the other hand, is a storm that produces thunder and lightning, as well as heavy rain, strong winds, and sometimes hail. Thunder is caused by the rapid expansion and contraction of air around a lightning bolt.


What has two hands but cant clap?

Thunder claps.