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When lightning occurs and creates thunder you see the lightning immediately because light travels so fast (abot 186,000 miles per second). But sound travels much slower so you don't hear the thunder until several seconds after it occurs. I believe the approximate rule that is used is sound travels about 1 mile in 5 seconds. So if it is 15 seconds before you hear the thunder then the storm is about 3 miles away.

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16y ago

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What is the difference between a thunderstorm and lightning?

A thunderstorm is a weather system characterized by thunder, lightning, heavy rain, and strong winds. Lightning, on the other hand, is a sudden electrostatic discharge produced during a thunderstorm, resulting in a visible flash of light and a loud cracking or rumbling noise. Thunder is the sound produced by lightning as it heats the air and causes it to rapidly expand.


What is the approximte distance of a thunderstorm if you notice a three-second delay between the flash of lighting and the sound of the thunder?

The approximate distance of a thunderstorm can be calculated by counting the number of seconds between the flash of lightning and the sound of thunder and dividing by 5. Since sound travels at about 1,100 feet per second, a three-second delay indicates the thunderstorm is approximately 2,200 feet away, or about 0.42 miles.


What would it mean if there were many seconds in between the flash of lightning and the roar of thunder?

If there are many seconds between the flash of lightning and the roar of thunder, it indicates that the storm is far away. Each second of delay between seeing the lightning and hearing the thunder represents a distance of about 1 mile between you and the lightning strike.


What is lightning without thunder?

Lightning is a visible discharge of electricity, often seen during a thunderstorm. Thunder is the sound produced by the rapid expansion of air surrounding a lightning bolt. So, without thunder, lightning would still be the sudden and bright flash of electricity in the sky.


How many seconds do you need to find the miles to the lightning?

To find the miles to the lightning, you can count the number of seconds between seeing the flash and hearing the thunder (time interval). Divide this number by 5 to get the distance in miles, as sound travels at about 1 mile every 5 seconds.

Related Questions

What is flash of lightning and the thunder that follows?

thunderstorm


How is thunder produced and how far away does the lightning strikes if the thunder is heard 15 seconds after the lightning is seen?

Thunder - is the result of a lightning flash. The flash causes the surrounding air to move away from the source at 300 metres/second. An approximate calculation for the relationship between the lightning flash to hearing the thunder, is 5 seconds per mile.


How far away is the thunderstorm if there is 20 seconds between each lightning strike?

This doesn't really make sense because there is no specific time span between lightning strikes. The only thing I can say is that if the lightning is brighter, than it is no more than three miles way from where you are currently. And I'm not talking about altitude either.


How do you figure out far you are from the lightning in a thunderstorm?

The next time theres a thunderstorm, try a little experiment with sound. Try to time how long it takes distant sounds to reach you. From the safety of our home, count the seconds between the time you see a flash of lightning and the time you hear the noise of the thunder.


How do you estimate how far lightning is away from you?

To estimate your distance from a thunderstorm count the number of seconds between a flash of lightning and the next clap of thunder. Divide your answer by 5. See the related link below.


What is the difference between a thunderstorm and lightning?

A thunderstorm is a weather system characterized by thunder, lightning, heavy rain, and strong winds. Lightning, on the other hand, is a sudden electrostatic discharge produced during a thunderstorm, resulting in a visible flash of light and a loud cracking or rumbling noise. Thunder is the sound produced by lightning as it heats the air and causes it to rapidly expand.


What is the approximte distance of a thunderstorm if you notice a three-second delay between the flash of lighting and the sound of the thunder?

The approximate distance of a thunderstorm can be calculated by counting the number of seconds between the flash of lightning and the sound of thunder and dividing by 5. Since sound travels at about 1,100 feet per second, a three-second delay indicates the thunderstorm is approximately 2,200 feet away, or about 0.42 miles.


What would it mean if there were many seconds in between the flash of lightning and the roar of thunder?

If there are many seconds between the flash of lightning and the roar of thunder, it indicates that the storm is far away. Each second of delay between seeing the lightning and hearing the thunder represents a distance of about 1 mile between you and the lightning strike.


What is lightning without thunder?

Lightning is a visible discharge of electricity, often seen during a thunderstorm. Thunder is the sound produced by the rapid expansion of air surrounding a lightning bolt. So, without thunder, lightning would still be the sudden and bright flash of electricity in the sky.


How many seconds do you need to find the miles to the lightning?

To find the miles to the lightning, you can count the number of seconds between seeing the flash and hearing the thunder (time interval). Divide this number by 5 to get the distance in miles, as sound travels at about 1 mile every 5 seconds.


What is a flash of lightning and the thunder that follows?

A flash of lightning is the visible discharge of electricity that occurs between clouds or between a cloud and the ground during a storm. Thunder is the sound created by the rapid expansion and contraction of air caused by the intense heat of a lightning bolt. The noise from thunder occurs because of the rapid increase in pressure and temperature of the air surrounding the lightning bolt.


Why do sometimes hear thunder at about the same time you see flash of lightning but other times you hear thunder after the flash?

If you hear the thunder almost at the same time as the lightning flash - the storm is directly overhead. Usually - the sound of thunder arrives a few seconds after the lightning, because light travels much faster than sound.