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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.
How many seconds behind is the thunder before the lightning?
Light is virtually instantaneous over any distance you'd be aware of a thunderstorm going on. Sound, however, takes five seconds to travel through air for each mile. If the thunder and the lightning are simultaneous, the lightning strike is very close to you. If the thunder is five seconds after the lightning, the lightning was one mile away. If the thunder is ten seconds after the lightning, the lightning was 2 miles away, and so on.
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.
A distant lightning can be seen several seconds before the accompanying thunder is heard. Why?
Light travels faster than sound
If the time lag between seeing the flash of lighting and hearing the thunder is 4 seconds how far away is the lighting?
The time lag between seeing the flash of lightning and hearing the thunder corresponds to the distance between you and the lightning strike. To calculate this distance, you can use the fact that sound travels at approximately 343 meters per second in air. So, for a 4-second time lag, the lightning strike is approximately 1372 meters away.
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.
Why do you always see thunder before lightning?
I think the appropriate wording for this question: "why do you see lightning before hearing thunder?" The simple answer is that light travels faster than sound.
If you are 5 kilometers from the place where lightning strikes a tree how long does it take before you see the lightning?
.0000166782047599 seconds, or nearly instantaneously.
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 is there a gap between seeing lighting and hearing thunder?
Lightning is a visible phenomenon that travels at the speed of light, while sound from thunder travels much slower at the speed of sound. This difference in speed is why we see the lightning first before hearing the thunder, creating a gap between the two perceptions.
How many seconds behind is the thunder before the lightning?
Light is virtually instantaneous over any distance you'd be aware of a thunderstorm going on. Sound, however, takes five seconds to travel through air for each mile. If the thunder and the lightning are simultaneous, the lightning strike is very close to you. If the thunder is five seconds after the lightning, the lightning was one mile away. If the thunder is ten seconds after the lightning, the lightning was 2 miles away, and so on.
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.
What are the rules regarding lightning during a college football game?
The basic guidelines are: As a minimum, lightning safety experts strongly recommend that by the time the monitor observes 30 seconds between seeing the lightning flash and hearing its associated thunder, all individuals should have left the athletics site and reached a safer structure or location. To resume athletics activities, lightning safety experts recommend waiting 30 minutes after both the last sound of thunder and last flash of lightning. If lightning is seen without hearing thunder, lightning may be out of range and therefore less likely to be a significant threat. At night, be aware that lightning can be visible at a much greater distance than during the day as clouds are being lit from the inside by lightning. This greater distance may mean that the lightning is no longer a significant threat. At night, use both the sound of thunder and seeing the lightning channel itself to decide on resetting the 30-minute "return-to-play" clock before resuming outdoor athletics activities. Almost every college has a system, such as the SkyScan Lightning/Storm Detector, in place to assist game managers in their decisions when it's safe to resume play.
Why do you see lightning before hearing the thunder when they are made by the same event?
Light waves travel faster than sound waves!
Is thunder heard before you see lightning?
No, lightning is seen before thunder is heard. The speed of light is faster than the speed of sound, so light from the lightning reaches us first, followed by the sound of thunder a few seconds later.
A distant lightning can be seen several seconds before the accompanying thunder is heard. Why?
Light travels faster than sound
If the time lag between seeing the flash of lighting and hearing the thunder is 4 seconds how far away is the lighting?
The time lag between seeing the flash of lightning and hearing the thunder corresponds to the distance between you and the lightning strike. To calculate this distance, you can use the fact that sound travels at approximately 343 meters per second in air. So, for a 4-second time lag, the lightning strike is approximately 1372 meters away.
