How is thunder sound created?
The lightning flash heats the air around it so quickly that the air expands very fast. When you heat something, it gets bigger – it expands. The air around the lightning flash expands so fast that it makes a shock wave in the air. That shock wave is the thunder that you hear.
Why does thunder sound like a bomb?
The source of the sound you hear as thunder is the rapid expansion of air turned to plasma. The process is a type of explosion. This explosion happens along the entire length of the lightning bolt and take a split second.
Is thunder clouds crashing together?
It’s an echo to lightning which really doesn’t have a sound at all. Hot air and cold rain go together to make a clap of thunder. Particles in the clouds. The clouds hit together and the ground shakes and makes a big thud.
What is the sound produced when lightning strikes?
Thunder
Thunder is the sound generated by lightning produced by a sudden and violent expansion of super-heated air in and along the electrical discharge channel path. Thunder can be a sharp or rumbling sound.
Why can I hear thunder without lightning?
No, it is not possible to have thunder without lightning. Thunder starts as a shockwave from the explosively expanding lightning channel when a large current causes rapid heating. However, it is possible that you might see lightning and not hear the thunder because it was too far away. Thunder is caused by lightning.
What is the sound of thunder called?
Thunder is the sound caused by lightning. Depending upon the distance from and nature of the lightning, it can range from a long, low rumble to a sudden, loud crack. In turn, this expansion of air creates a sonic shock wave, often referred to as a “thunderclap” or “peal of thunder”.
Why is thunder so loud?
Why is thunder so loud? It’s because the amount of electrical energy that flows from the cloud to the ground is so enormous: it’s like a very big waterfall of electricity. The louder the sound that you hear, the closer you are to the lightning. Light travels through air much faster than sound.
Why do I hear thunder but no rain?
Dry thunderstorm refers to thunder and lightning that occur without bringing rain to the ground. In fact, the thunder-bearing clouds do produce rain but the rain droplets have evaporated in the air before reaching the ground. The anvil cloud is so high that rain coming from it evaporates before reaching the ground.
Why does thunder shake your house?
Your house will shake depending the closeness of the lightning. Thunder is a sonic boom that comes from the rapid heating of the air around a lightning strike. Sonic booms cause massive shaking to nearby objects (your house). This will happen if the lightning is very close.