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By way of some "round" math, (rounding quotients to the nearest whole numbers), I have
extrapolated 5 seconds as a decent "Rule of thumb".
Thunder will go *approximately* 1 mile every 5 seconds, at average.
Humidity, elevation, etc. affect air density, which affects the speed of sound, but negligibly for this answer.
So, see the flash, count 5, 1 mile (approximately).
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How long does it take thunder to travel a mile?
A quick rule of thumb is 5 seconds. Since sound travels at a little over 1000 feet per second which is about a fifth of a mile. A better estimate is 1125 feet per second. 5280 / 1125 = 4.693 seconds
How long does it take light to travel across the Milky Way?
It takes light about 100,000 years to travel from one side of the Milky Way galaxy to the other due to its vast size and distance.
How long does it take for light to travel across the milky way?
Depends witch star it comes from. The closest stars light will only take 7 years but most of the stars (that are relatively closeby compared to the light of other galaxies) will take 200 or more.
Why is lightning seen earlier and thunder heard later even when they take place at the same time and distance?
Lightning is seen earlier because light travels faster than sound. Lightning occurs first and produces light, which reaches our eyes immediately. Thunder, on the other hand, is the sound produced by the rapid heating and cooling of air around the lightning bolt, which takes longer to travel to our ears.
Approximately how long does an earthquake p-wave take to travel the first 6500 kilometers after the earthquake occurs?
P-waves travel at speeds between 5 to 8 km/s, as such a P-wave may take between 812 and 1300 seconds (13 and 22 minutes respectively) to travel 6500 km. Please see the related question on P-wave velocity.
