Table of Contents
- 1 How far away is lightning if you hear the thunder 3 seconds after you see the flash of lightening?
- 2 How far is the lightning if you heard the thunder after 20 seconds?
- 3 How far does thunder travel per second?
- 4 How far is a storm when you hear thunder?
- 5 What causes the sound of thunder in the sky?
- 6 How far away can Thunder Thunder be heard?
- 7 How far away does Lightning sound when it strikes?
How far away is lightning if you hear the thunder 3 seconds after you see the flash of lightening?
For metric-system conversions, follow this method: Sound travels at about 340 m/s, so multiply the number of seconds you counted by 340, and you’ll know how many meters away lightning struck. A three-second count, then, would place the lightning strike about 1,020 m away, or roughly 1 km.
How far away did lightning strike if you hear thunder 5 seconds after you see the spark?
If you count the number of seconds between the flash of lightning and the sound of thunder, and then divide by 5, you’ll get the distance in miles to the lightning: 5 seconds = 1 mile, 15 seconds = 3 miles, 0 seconds = very close. Keep in mind that you should be in a safe place while counting.
How far is the lightning if you heard the thunder after 20 seconds?
The Correct Method to Calculate Lightning Distance
| If thunder is heard | The lightning is . . . |
|---|---|
| 10 seconds after a flash | 2 miles away |
| 15 seconds after a flash | 3 miles away |
| 20 seconds after a flash | 4 miles away |
| 25 seconds after a flash | 5 miles away |
Why do you see the flash of lightning before you hear the thunder during a storm?
If we are watching the sky, we see the lightning before we hear the thunder. That is because light travels much faster than sound waves. It takes approximately 5 seconds for the sound to travel 1 mile.
How far does thunder travel per second?
Lightning travels at the speed of light, about 186,000 miles per second. This means that you see lightning pretty much when it happens. When lightning strikes, a noise is made which we call thunder. Thunder travels much slower, at the speed of sound, about 1088 feet per second.
How far does sound travel per second?
In air at a temperature of 70° F (22.2° C), sound travels at a speed of about 1,129 feet (344 meters) per second, which is roughly equivalent to one-fifth of a mile in one second, or one mile in five seconds (or one kilometer in about three seconds).
How far is a storm when you hear thunder?
A general rule of thumb to know how far off a bolt of lightning is when you hear thunder, if you count the number of seconds between the flash of lightning and the sound of thunder, and then divide by 5, you’ll get the distance in miles to the lightning: 5 seconds = 1 mile, 15 seconds = 3 miles, 0 seconds = very close.
What is the sound of thunder?
However, the grumbles and growls we hear in thunderstorms actually come from the rapid expansion of the air surrounding the lightning bolt. As the heated air expands, the pressure drops, the air cools, and it contracts. The result is a shock wave, with a loud, booming burst of noise sent in every direction.
What causes the sound of thunder in the sky?
The lightning flash heats the air around it so quickly that the air expands very fast. When you heat something, it gets bigger – it expands. The air around the lightning flash expands so fast that it makes a shock wave in the air. That shock wave is the thunder that you hear.
How far does thunder travel?
Thunder can be heard up to 25 miles away, and lightning strikes have been documented to occur as far as 25 miles from thunderstorms – known as a “bolt from the blue.” So if you can hear thunder, you’re close enough to be hit by lightning, and sheltering indoors or in an enclosed car is your safest bet.
How far away can Thunder Thunder be heard?
Weather.gov > Safety > Understanding Lightning: Thunder Thunder is the sound caused by a nearby flash of lightning and can be heard for a distance of only about 10 miles from the lightning strike.
How do you calculate the distance between lightning and Thunder?
Understanding Lightning: Thunder. If you count the number of seconds between the flash of lightning and the sound of thunder, and then divide by 5, you’ll get the distance in miles to the lightning: 5 seconds = 1 mile, 15 seconds = 3 miles, 0 seconds = very close.
How far away does Lightning sound when it strikes?
If the thunder sounds more like a rumble, the lightning was at least several miles away. The loud boom that you sometimes hear is created by the main lightning channel as it reaches the ground.
What does the sound of Thunder serve as a warning?
The sound of thunder should serve as a warning to anyone outside that they are within striking distance of the storm and need to get to a safe place immediately! Thunder is created when lightning passes through the air. The lightning discharge heats the air rapidly and causes it to expand. The temperature of the air in the lightning channel may