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Asked by jimjam to Adam, Geoff, Rob, Sheila, Suzie on 23 Mar 2011 in Categories: General.
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Suzie Sheehy answered on 21 Mar 2011:
I learned all about lightning when I was presenting a science show called “Lightning Strikes” using a MASSIVE tesla coil in a big cage which I got to strike a small plane, a car and other stuff with! So hopefully I get the answer right to this one:
Lightning moves at the speed of light (300,000,000 m/s really quick) whereas the sound from it travels at the speed of sound (340 m/s = much slower). Lightning is usually either between clouds or down to the earth, and it travels a big distance while it strikes (or discharges…).
The “rumble” sound starts when the sound from the nearest part of the ‘strike’ reaches you and lasts until the sound from the farthest part reaches you, which can be many hundreds of metres or even kilometers from where the lightning started. That’s why the sound can last for a few seconds.
I hope that answers your question, I love talking about lightning so just ask if you have any more questions!
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Sheila Kanani answered on 22 Mar 2011:
Sometimes you can hear it like a cracking noise, and sometimes you hear it as a rumble. It is mostly due to the fact that sound travels much slower than light!
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Adam Tuff answered on 22 Mar 2011:
Where as the lightning bolt is very fast, the sound wave it produces is much slower – lightning bolts further away from you means that the sound wave has more time to spread out before it reaches you – lightning bolts closer to you don’t make as long a sound.
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Robert Simpson answered on 23 Mar 2011:
Well what you see is the electricity of the lightning strike ionising the air and making it glow – what you hear is the sound waves produced by changes in pressure and temperature around the lightning. This echoes and changes as it moves across the landscape.
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