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Thunder and lightning both occur at the same instant. If you are observing them from a distance, then you perceive the lightning first, because the light travels to you much faster than the sound does.
Lightning. Its ionization of air is what makes the boom.

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7y ago

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Related Questions

When did lightning crashes come out?

before thunder


Why don't the thunder and lightning come together?

Thunder and lighting do occur together during a thunderstorm. Lightning is a sudden discharge of electricity in the atmosphere, which creates the bright light that we see, while thunder is the sound created by the rapid expansion of air around the lightning bolt. Light travels faster than sound, so we see the lightning before we hear the thunder.


Is thunder heard before the flash of lightning?

not if you are standing far enough away and not at all the sound of the lightning is thunder but if you were standing directly underneath it the sound would come at the exact moment of the light


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.


Can lightning come without thunder?

Lightning is the electrical discharge which neutralises the static electricity built up within the cloud or between cloud and earth.The very hot plasma bolt which transmits the electrical current super heats water molecules which expand with such speed that they produce the sound of thunder.The only way I can think that this is not the case is if the air is very dry indeed. Almost without exception, the two will always occur together.


Why is lighting before thunder?

The reason is because the speed of sound is slower than the speed of light. Thats why when lightning looks like a pure lightning strike that is not far away from your shelter, the thunder happens almost at the same time. If lightning was just a flash in the sky, the thunder takes longer to come up.


What does Selena Gomez mean when she says you are the thunder and im the lightning in her new song Naturally?

Them lyrics are from the song Naturally, and they mean: Thunder and Lightning nearly always come together and when you think thunder you think lightning. Selena mean's in Naturally that she's found that special person who belongs with her, like thunder belongs with lightning. It's hard to describe. Lightning comes with thunder so Selena means they are never one with out the other. She's found the thunder to her lightning = she founds the person that belongs with her. III THIINK.


What does you are the thunder and i am the lightning mean?

it is usually referring to 2 people that are in love and they come one after another always right behind each other.


What are the similarities of thunder and lightning?

No, the two are quite different. The main difference is lightning is light, thunder is sound. Lightning is an electric charge that can come from a cloud for various reasons. Thunder is the sound made by lightning. Since sound travels slower than light, lightning comes first, thunder second.


Why does thunder comes after lightning?

Lightning does not come after thunder. Thunder is the sound produced from lightning. The amount of time in between when you see the lightning and when you hear the thunder makes you think that the thunder comes first but it is in fact the other way around.


Where did the idea of Ben Franklin's lightning bolt come from?

thunder clouds


Why does lightning come first?

Lightning comes first cause there is a discrepancy between areas of air between regions of warm and cold and this causes frictionals forces to build up,which sometimes create an electrical spark which is lightning.