Thunder then Lightning or Lightning then Thunder?

🌩️ Why do we see lightning before we hear thunder?

Next time a storm rolls in, try this cool trick: Count the seconds between the flash of lightning and the boom of thunder. Then divide by 5.

That gives you an estimate of how many miles away the lightning struck!(Example: 10 seconds ÷ 5 = 2 miles)

Why does this work?

⚡ Light travels super fast— so fast that we see the flash almost instantly.🔊 Sound travels slower— about 5,000 feet per second—so thunder takes time to reach us.

💥 So what is thunder, anyway?

When lightning streaks through the sky, it heats the air to over 30,000°C (54,000°F) in less than a second! That sudden heat causes the air to explode outward, creating a shockwave—that’s thunder!

⚡ But how does lightning happen in the first place?

As storm clouds form, tiny ice particles bump into each other and create electrical charges. The cloud becomes like a giant battery:– Positive charges gather at the top– Negative charges collect at the bottom.

When the difference becomes too great, zap! A giant spark—lightning—jumps through the air, either between clouds or down to the ground.

Storms may be noisy and dramatic, but they’re full of fascinating science!

📏✨ So next time you see a flash, start counting—science is in the air!

#ScienceMinuteWithMary #LightningAndThunder #StormScience #PhysicsFun #LightningFacts