Lightning flashes before thunder because light is faster than sound
In short: During a storm, lightning is seen before thunder is heard because light travels much faster than sound. This video explains the physics behind this phenomenon and shows how to estimate the distance of a lightning strike by counting seconds.
Lightning and thunder occur at the same moment, but we see lightning first because light travels at about 299,792 kilometers per second, while sound travels at only 343 meters per second in air. This vast difference in speed is why the flash of lightning reaches our eyes before the thunder is heard.
The video also explains how thunder is created when the rapid expansion of air around a lightning bolt causes a shockwave, which we perceive as sound. For every 5 seconds that pass, the lightning is approximately 1.7 kilometers away.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Why Do We See Lightning Before Hearing Thunder?
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