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This is called thunder, and results from a rapidly expanding pressure wave, as a narrow column of air is heated to thousands of degrees by the lightning's electrical energy.

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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.


Why do we see lightning first and then followed by thunder?

Lightning and thunder are phenomena that happen simultaneously but are observed at different times due to the difference in speed of light and sound. Light travels faster than sound, so we see the lightning flash first and then hear the thunder that follows it later.


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.


A person will see a flash of lightning before they hear the thunder that goes with it because?

Light travels faster than sound, so the light from the lightning reaches our eyes almost instantly, whereas the sound of thunder takes longer to reach our ears because it travels slower. This difference in speed results in the flash of lightning being seen before the accompanying thunder is heard.


You hear thunder 13.9 seconds after a lightning flash how far are you from lightning?

You are approximately 2.7 kilometers (1.7 miles) away from the lightning strike. Sound travels at about 343 meters per second, so by dividing the time gap of 13.9 seconds by the speed of sound, you can calculate the distance.

Related Questions

What is the sound following the flash of lighting?

The sound following the flash of lightning is thunder. Thunder is caused by the rapid expansion and contraction of air surrounding the lightning bolt, creating a sonic shockwave that we hear as a loud rumbling noise.


Does thunder have a flash?

Thunder is the sound produced by lightning as it rapidly heats and expands the air. It is not a flash like lightning, but rather the result of the shock wave created by the sudden expansion of the air.


Why does thunder ussually occur during storms that have lightning flashes?

The thunder is the sound of lightning but you only hear the thunder after the flash because lightning is faster than the speed of 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.


Do people see lightning before the sound of thunder reaches us?

Yes - since light travels faster than sound, you will see the lightning flash before hearing the sound of the thunder.


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.


Why would you have to watch out if the flash of lightning and the sound of thunder seem occur together?

If thunder and lightning occur together close to you, you are dangerously close to a lightning bolt.


Why would you have to watch out if the flash of lightning and the sound of thunder seemed to occur together?

If thunder and lightning occur together close to you, you are dangerously close to a lightning bolt.


Why do we hear thunder some seconds after seeing the lightning?

In simple terms... light travels much faster than sound. We see the lightning flash first, followed by the sound when it finally reaches us


Why do we see lightning first and then followed by thunder?

Lightning and thunder are phenomena that happen simultaneously but are observed at different times due to the difference in speed of light and sound. Light travels faster than sound, so we see the lightning flash first and then hear the thunder that follows it later.


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


When was Lightning Flash created?

Lightning Flash was created in 1983-06.