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No, lightning and thunder are related but at not the same thing. Lightning is the very large spark that jumps from cloud to cloud or from ground to cloud when a static charge builds up.

When that spark jumps, it heats the air through which it moves. Thunder is the sound that results from that heating.
No, lightning is a large electrical discharge produced by a thunderstorm. Lightning is usually visible as a flash of light from within the clouds or a jagged, often branching line of flashing line of light.

Thunder is the loud rumbling, booming, or crashing sound made by lightning.

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10y ago
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13y ago

Yes, lightning travels faster than sound and as it breaks the sound barrier it produces a 'sonic boom,' which is heard as thunder.

I'm not sure of the physics of thunder and lightening but you see the flash before you hear the noise because light travels at 186,000 miles per second whereas sound travels at 1,100 feet per second.

You can work out how far you are from the storm by timing the difference between the flash and the thunder. A lightning strike can heat the air in a fraction of a second. When air is heated that quickly, it expands violently and then contracts, like an explosion that happens in the blink of an eye. It's that explosion of air that creates sound waves, which we hear and call thunder.

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AnswerBot

6mo ago

Yes, thunder is the sound produced by the rapid expansion and contraction of air surrounding a lightning bolt as it heats up to temperatures hotter than the surface of the sun.

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15y ago

yes. not exactly sonic boom - soundwave propogation.

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14y ago

Yes. The electrical energy of a lightning bolt has so much energy that it produces sound waves that make the sound of thunder.

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Q: Is thunder the sound lightning bolts make?
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Related questions

Is thunder the sound lightning bolts make i really need help?

Yes, thunder is the sound produced by lightning. When lightning strikes, it heats up the air around it, causing it to expand rapidly and create a shock wave that we hear as thunder.


Did Zeus make thunder in storms?

In Greek mythology, Zeus, the god of thunder and lightning, was believed to wield the power to create thunder during storms. It was believed that the sound of thunder was created when Zeus threw his lightning bolts from the sky.


What is stronger lightning or thunder?

Lightning is stronger than thunder. Lightning is a powerful electric discharge, while thunder is the sound created by the rapid expansion of the air that follows a lightning strike.


Why is thunder associated by lightning?

Thunder is associated with lightning because they both occur during the same event: a lightning bolt creates a rapid expansion of air, causing a shock wave that we hear as thunder. The sound of thunder is created by the rapid heating and cooling of the air surrounding the lightning bolt.


Can thunder make you blind?

No, thunder cannot make you blind. Thunder is the sound that occurs after lightning, which is a sudden discharge of electricity in the atmosphere. While lightning can potentially cause blindness if someone is struck directly, thunder itself does not have the ability to affect your vision.


What is sound made by thunder called?

Strictly speaking thunder doesn't make a sound. Thunder IS the sound made by lightning. Thunder is always proceeded by lightning and the sound is literally the sound of the bolt of lightning ripping through the air at an incredible speed ionising the air, rapidly raising temperature, breaking the sound barrier and physically hitting the earth. The sound can be described as a rumble, a screech, a boom or a crack depending upon your proximity to the lightning and its type.


Why does thunder make a sound?

Thunder is the sound produced by the rapid expansion of air surrounding a lightning bolt. When lightning strikes, it superheats the air, causing it to rapidly expand and create shockwaves that we hear as thunder. The sound travels through the air until it reaches our ears, allowing us to hear it.


What are the similarities of thunder and lightning?

No, the two are quite different. The main difference is lightning is light, thunder is sound. Lightning is an electric charge that can come from a cloud for various reasons. Thunder is the sound made by lightning. Since sound travels slower than light, lightning comes first, thunder second.


Why lightning has no sound?

Lightning itself does not make a sound. The sound we hear, thunder, is caused by the rapid expansion and contraction of air around the lightning bolt due to the extreme heat, creating a shock wave that we hear as thunder.


Does lightning make any noise?

No. The visual portion of the energy wave that we see as lightning it's self does not make noise, however this energy wave also displaces air. The air that is displaced by the negative and positive ion charge (that bolt we see) is often heard as a loud "crack" and the air that moves fast enough creates a sonic boom which we hear as thunder.


Is it dangerous to hear the thunder at the same time you see the lightning?

It could be. The light from the flash travels much more quickly than the sound waves that make up the thunder. So a longer time between them indicates that the lightning is farther away. If the thunder is immediate, you are very close to the lightning!


What makes the thunder to the result of lightning?

The thunder is a result of lightning because thunder has air molecules that are superheated o make electricity