❓ why
Why do we see lightning before we hear thunder?
weatherphysics
Quick Answer
Light travels almost a million times faster than sound, so the flash reaches us long before the rumble.
The Full Story
Light moves at about 300,000 km per second, reaching us almost instantly, while sound travels through air at only about 343 metres per second. The thunder and lightning happen at the same moment, but sound lags behind. Counting the seconds between flash and thunder lets you estimate distance: about 3 seconds per kilometre, or 5 seconds per mile. Thunder is the sound of air expanding explosively after being superheated by lightning.
Key Facts
1.Lightning can heat air to around 30,000 °C, about five times hotter than the Sun's surface.
2.Thunder is rarely heard more than about 15–20 km away.
3.If you can hear thunder, you are close enough to be struck by lightning.
YouTube Angle
Suggested video title for this topic:
"Count the Seconds — How Far Away Is the Storm?"