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Lightning causes the thunder, so it actually has to precede the thunder. If you are close to the lightning, they may seem to occur simultaneously. Since light travels faster than sound, the thunder will always lag behind the lightning.
Light moves at 299 million metres per second. Sound moves at 340 metres per second (at sea level in air). When lightning occurs, the light and the creation of the sound occur at the same time and place. Thunder is due to the rapid expansion of superheated air which the lightning causes.
The flash of light (lightning) arrives first because light waves move at roughly a million times faster than sound waves. By counting the seconds between flash and sound (assuming the storm is not so violent that lightning flashes and thunder claps cannot be paired off), you can determine how close it was to you.
In the English system, each 5 seconds difference is about a mile away. In the metric system, every 3 seconds is about a kilometer. Differences in elevation can make this imprecise.
If the flash and sound are simultaneous, the source of the lightning is very close, so you might want to go inside immediately and if possible, not touch anything connected to the house's electrical, Plumbing, or wired telephone systems. If you are outdoors, stay out from under trees and away from tall objects and metal fences. Keep a low profile, even if it means ducking into a ditch.
Remember that electricity seeks the path of least resistance to ground, and the rain that accompanies the lightning enhances that effect, so stay dry and indoors - and avoid conductive systems as described above. THIS IS TOO LONG
Angus Bode
Wiki User
∙ 11y agoyou dont see thunder you hear it! and you dont hear lightning you see it! GET YOUR FACTS STRAIT! ok so light waves travel fasyer than sound waves
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Why do thunder and lightning arrive at different times?
You will see the lightning before you hear the thunder because light travels faster than sound (:
Why are you hearing thundering after lightning?
A lightning flash travels at the speed of light. The sound of thunder travels much slower. Therefore, we see the flash before we hear the thunder.
Can you see thunder or lightning?
You see lighting and hear thunder.
What happens when there is lightning but no thunder?
Thunder is the sound caused by lightning, there is always thunder with lightning. If you cannot hear thunder maybe that is because you are too far away from the storm.
Can you hear thunder?
I can always hear thunder in thunder and lightning, everyone can, except for deaf people of course because they can't hear anything.
How do you hear thunder?
lightning heats the air which we hear as thunder
Why do thunder and lightning arrive at different times?
You will see the lightning before you hear the thunder because light travels faster than sound (:
How come you see lighting and do not hear it and how come you hear thunder and do not see it?
You see lightning before you hear it because light moves faster than sound. Thunder comes from the lightning. You can't hear it until the sound waves reach you.
Why do you often hear thunder when you see lightning?
Thunder is always heard after lightning flashes. The sounds from thunder can be heard from miles away, but you can see lightning and NOT hear thunder. Never the other way around.
Why do you see thunder after you see the flash of lightning?
You don't see thunder. You hear thunder. You hear thunder after seeing the lightning because light travels faster than sound. The further the storm away is, the bigger the time between when you see the lightning and hear the thunder.
What is lightning without thunder?
Lightning without thunder is called heat lightning. It occurs when the lightning is too far away for humans to hear the thunder.
Why are you hearing thundering after lightning?
A lightning flash travels at the speed of light. The sound of thunder travels much slower. Therefore, we see the flash before we hear the thunder.
Why do you hear thunder after a bolt of lightning?
Because sound travels slower than light, the closer you are to the lightning the sooner you hear the thunder.
Can you see thunder or lightning?
You see lighting and hear thunder.
What happens when there is lightning but no thunder?
Thunder is the sound caused by lightning, there is always thunder with lightning. If you cannot hear thunder maybe that is because you are too far away from the storm.
Why do you see lightning before you see thunder in terms of wave theory?
You see lightning first because light travels faster then sound.Also, you don't see thunder - you hear it.
Do you see or hear lightning?
You see the lightening, and hear the thunder.
