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The delay is caused by the difference in speed between light and sound. Light travels much faster than sound, so we see the lightning before we hear the thunder. Sound travels through the air at a slower speed, so it takes longer to reach our ears.

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1y ago

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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.


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

The approximate distance of a thunderstorm can be calculated by taking the time delay between the flash of lightning and the sound of thunder (3 seconds in this case) and dividing it by 5. Each second of delay roughly corresponds to 1 mile of distance, so a 3-second delay would indicate the thunderstorm is approximately 0.6 miles away.


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.

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.


Why is there a delay between the lightning an thunder?

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.


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.


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 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.


What causes sound delay?

Sound delay can be caused by factors such as the distance between the sound source and the listener, the speed of sound in the medium it is travelling through, and any obstacles or reflections that may interfere with the direct transmission of sound waves. In live sound situations, digital signal processing and equipment latency can also contribute to sound delay.


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

The approximate distance of a thunderstorm can be calculated by taking the time delay between the flash of lightning and the sound of thunder (3 seconds in this case) and dividing it by 5. Each second of delay roughly corresponds to 1 mile of distance, so a 3-second delay would indicate the thunderstorm is approximately 0.6 miles away.


Why lightning is seen before thunder is heard?

Lightning travels at the speed of light, which is much faster than the speed of sound. When lightning strikes, the light reaches us almost instantaneously, while the sound takes longer to travel to our ears, resulting in a delay between seeing the lightning and hearing the thunder.


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.


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.


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.