What is Lightning?
Lightning is a huge spark of electricity that happens in the atmosphere. It usually appears as a bright flash of light during a storm. Lightning happens when there are strong winds and clouds that collide with each other. This movement creates tiny particles that build up a positive and negative charge. When the charges get strong enough, they release energy in the form of a lightning bolt!
What is Thunder?
Thunder is the sound that you hear after you see lightning. When lightning strikes, it heats the air around it very quickly—up to 50,000 degrees Fahrenheit! This extreme heat causes the air to expand rapidly and create a shock wave, which we hear as thunder. Thunder travels slower than light, which is why you see the lightning before you hear the thunder.
Why Do We See Lightning and Hear Thunder Separately?
Since light travels much faster than sound, you will see the light from a lightning bolt almost instantly, but the sound of thunder takes longer to reach you. If you want to estimate how far away the storm is, you can count the seconds between seeing lightning and hearing thunder. For each 5 seconds you count, the storm is roughly 1 mile away!
Lightning Safety Tips
It's very important to stay safe during thunderstorms. Always seek shelter indoors and avoid tall objects, water, and metal. Lightning can be very dangerous, so it's best to stay safe!