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There is a delay between seeing the lightning and hearing the thunder because the speed of light (lightning) is much faster than the speed of sound (thunder). Thus, you SEE lightning first, and then you HEAR thunder later.

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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.


There is a delay of 5 seconds between the time you see a flash of lightning and hear the thunder?

This delay of 5 seconds corresponds to approximately 1 mile (1.6 kilometers) of distance from the lightning. Thunder travels about 1 mile in 5 seconds through air.


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

The approximate distance of the thunderstorm is about 1 kilometer away for each 3-second delay between the lightning flash and the thunder sound. So, if you notice a three-second delay, the storm is roughly 1 kilometer away from you.


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.


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.

Related Questions

During a thunderstorm you see the lightning followed by the sound of the thunder What causes the delay between the light and the sound?

The delay between the lightning and the sound of thunder is due to the difference in speed between light and sound. Light travels much faster than sound, so we see the lightning first before hearing the thunder. By counting the seconds between seeing the lightning and hearing the thunder, you can estimate how far away the lightning struck.


Do you hear thunder after you see lightning because it's further away?

Yes, there is a delay between seeing lightning and hearing thunder because light moves faster than sound. The delay is due to the time it takes for the sound waves to travel from the lightning to your location. The further away the lightning is, the longer the delay between the lightning and the thunder.


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.


How far can you hear thunder?

Typically, thunder can be heard up to 10 miles away from a lightning strike. Sound travels much slower than light, so there is a delay between seeing the lightning and hearing the thunder.


Is there a delay for thunder during soccer?

In non-professional football, they do delay a game for lightning/thunder, and on some cases, heavy rain.


There is a delay of 5 seconds between the time you see a flash of lightning and hear the thunder?

This delay of 5 seconds corresponds to approximately 1 mile (1.6 kilometers) of distance from the lightning. Thunder travels about 1 mile in 5 seconds through air.


Why is it not dangerous if you hear thunder long after you see a flash of lightning?

If you hear thunder long after seeing lightning, it indicates the storm is moving away from you. Thunder is the sound produced by lightning, so the delay suggests the storm is at a significant distance. As long as the delay is significant enough, the risk of being struck by lightning is greatly reduced.


What is the difference between heat lightning and regular lightning?

Heat lightning is a term used to describe lightning that can be seen from a distance without hearing thunder. It is usually from a distant storm and is not directly associated with the thunderstorm you are observing. Regular lightning produces thunder because it is closer to you, and the sound of thunder travels slower than light, causing a delay between the flash of lightning and the sound of thunder.


Why can't you see thunder?

Thunder is our name for the sound made by lightning. The reason there is (usually) a delay between when you see the bolt of lightning and hear the thunder is that light travels more quickly than does sound. This is the reason that you can count seconds between seeing lightning and hearing thunder to figure out how close the lightning is to you. When the lightning is closer to you, the sound doesn't take as much time to travel to your ears and thus the gap between the lightning and thunder is shorter. So you can't see thunder because it's merely a sound - but you can see the source of that sound.


Does thunder flash 5 mins after lightning?

No, thunder actually happens simultaneously with lightning. The sound of thunder is created by the rapid expansion and contraction of the air surrounding a lightning bolt. The time it takes for you to hear thunder after seeing lightning depends on how far away the lightning strike is. Every 5 seconds between seeing a lightning flash and hearing the thunder equals approximately 1 mile of distance.


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

The approximate distance of the thunderstorm is about 1 kilometer away for each 3-second delay between the lightning flash and the thunder sound. So, if you notice a three-second delay, the storm is roughly 1 kilometer away from you.


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.