Book 3, Question 31
Why Do We See Lightning Before Thunder?
Lightning and thunder start together. Light reaches your eyes almost instantly. Sound needs time to cross the air.
From the book
Page from A Million Whys Book 3
More fun facts
- The flash and the thunder happen at almost the same moment. The light just reaches you much sooner.
- Light travels almost a million times faster than sound.
- To find a storm's distance in kilometers, count the seconds between the flash and the thunder, then divide by 3.
- If thunder comes almost instantly after the flash, the lightning is dangerously close.
- A lightning bolt can flicker because several strokes travel down the same path one after another.
- If you can hear thunder, the storm is close enough to be a danger. Wait 30 minutes after the last thunder before going back outside.
Questions kids ask
How long should I wait after a storm to go outside?
Wait 30 minutes after you hear the last thunder before going back outside.