Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos
thunder
Introduction References & Edit History Related Topics
Images & Videos
Two-part diagram explaining how to estimate lightning distance by timing thunder, and how thunder is heard differently based on location. The top section shows sound waves from a lightning flash reaching an observer, with a scale indicating that thunder is heard about three seconds after the flash for each kilometer, or five seconds for each mile, up to five kilometers or three miles. The bottom section depicts two people in cars at different distances from the main lightning channel and a branc
What Causes Thunder and Lightning?
Quizzes
Lightning over a farm field. Weather electricity thunderstorm light energy tree
Facts You Should Know: Weather Quiz
Umbrella colored like a rainbow sticking out above a sea of black umbrellas while it rains. (storm, weather)
Weather Words Vocabulary Quiz
rain. Child in the rain, wearing a rain coat, under a yellow umbrella. April Showers weather climate rain storm water drops
April Showers to March’s Lions and Lambs
Feedback
Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login).
Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

External Websites
Two-part diagram explaining how to estimate lightning distance by timing thunder, and how thunder is heard differently based on location. The top section shows sound waves from a lightning flash reaching an observer, with a scale indicating that thunder is heard about three seconds after the flash for each kilometer, or five seconds for each mile, up to five kilometers or three miles. The bottom section depicts two people in cars at different distances from the main lightning channel and a branc
lightning and thunder (Top) As shown in the chart, the elapsed time between seeing a flash of lightning and hearing the thunder is roughly three seconds for each kilometre, or five seconds for each mile. (Bottom) An observer's relative distance from the main lightning channel and its secondary branches determines whether thunder is heard to start with a sudden clap or a softer rumbling.

thunder

meteorology
Written and fact-checked by
Britannica Editors
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
Britannica Editors
History

thunder, sound caused by a lightning discharge. Lightning heats the air in its path and causes a large over-pressure of the air within its channel. The channel expands supersonically into the surrounding air as a shock wave and creates an acoustic signal that is heard as thunder. The loudest thunder heard after a flash to the ground is actually produced by the return stroke that follows the path forged by the initial stroke, or stepped...

Discover the world with Britannica

Subscribe to Continue Reading

Free Trial | No Ads | Exclusive Content
Explore Subscriptions
DNA
Right
Mobile