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Lightning moves faster than thunder. Lightning is a flash of electrical discharge that travels at the speed of light, approximately 299,792 kilometers per second (186,282 miles per second). In contrast, thunder is the sound produced by the rapid expansion of air heated by lightning, and it travels at the speed of sound, which is about 343 meters per second (1,125 feet per second) in air. Therefore, we see lightning before we hear the thunder.

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Which travels faster lightning or thunder?

Lightning travels faster than thunder. Lightning is a visible discharge of electricity that moves at the speed of light, which is about 186,000 miles per second. Thunder, on the other hand, is the sound created by the rapid expansion of air after lightning heats it up, traveling at the speed of sound, which is approximately 1,125 feet per second.


Why do thunder and lightning arrive at different times?

Thunder and lightning arrive at different times because light travels faster than sound. Lightning is the visual flash of electricity that moves almost instantaneously, while thunder is the sound created by the rapid expansion of air around the lightning bolt, which takes longer to reach our ears.


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.


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 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.

Related Questions

What the sound of thunder?

Thunder is the sound of lightning, because lightning moves faster then sound it takes a few seconds for the sound to catch up. So there is no sound of thunder, thunder is just the sound of lightning.


What is the sound of thunder?

Thunder is the sound of lightning, because lightning moves faster then sound it takes a few seconds for the sound to catch up. So there is no sound of thunder, thunder is just the sound of lightning.


Which travels faster lightning or thunder?

Lightning travels faster than thunder. Lightning is a visible discharge of electricity that moves at the speed of light, which is about 186,000 miles per second. Thunder, on the other hand, is the sound created by the rapid expansion of air after lightning heats it up, traveling at the speed of sound, which is approximately 1,125 feet per second.


Why do thunder and lightning arrive at different times?

Thunder and lightning arrive at different times because light travels faster than sound. Lightning is the visual flash of electricity that moves almost instantaneously, while thunder is the sound created by the rapid expansion of air around the lightning bolt, which takes longer to reach our ears.


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.


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.


Which of these two is faster is it lightning or thunder?

The lightning. The speed of light is faster than the speed of sound. In addition, lightning creates thunder, therefore it happens first, therefore must be faster. See the related link for more information.


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 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.


Why do you see a flashed of lightning before you hear a clap of thunder?

Light travels much faster than sound, so when lightning occurs, the light reaches you almost instantly while the sound of thunder, which moves slower, takes longer to reach your ears. This delay between the two allows you to see the flash of lightning before hearing the clap of 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.


Can Lightning and thunder occur simultaneously?

No. Thunder is the result of lightning when it hits the ground. After lightning hits the ground the air expands (because of the increase in temp.) and quickly condenses. That air condensing is what we hear when there is thunder. Because light travels faster than sound we see lightning then hear thunder.