What sound is thunder?

What sound is thunder?

At large distances from the center, the shock wave (thunder) can be many miles across. The shock wave is greatly elongated. To the listener, it is the combination of the millions of shock waves that gives thunder the continuous booming/rumbling sound we hear.

Is it normal for thunder to be loud?

The exploding or expanding and contracting of air creates the sound we know as thunder. Sometimes the boom of thunder can sound much louder than other times. In this breakdown we will explain why the rumbling and crackling of thunder can be louder. The louder-than-normal thunder are common in Elevated Thunderstorms.

Why is the thunder so quiet?

The phenomenon that is called silent or heat lightning is simply cloud-to-ground lightning that occurs very far away, with thunder that dissipates before it reaches the observer and cannot be heard. Met Office meteorologist Nicola Maxey explained: “It’s not an unusual phenomenon. Light travels further than 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.

Why is thunder louder at night?

When a thunderstorm produces thunder sounds in the afternoon, the sound can travel in many different directions. When we have a thunderstorm at night, sound bounces off of that warm layer and has nowhere else to go but down and to our ears. This is why it’s much louder at night.

Can you see lightning without thunder?

No, it is not possible to have thunder without lightning. However, it is possible that you might see lightning and not hear the thunder because it was too far away. Sometimes this is called “heat lightning” because it occurs most often in the summer.

Does cell phones attract lightning?

“Cell phones, small metal items, jewelry, etc., do not attract lightning. Nothing attracts lightning. Lightning tends to strike taller objects,” said John Jensenius, a NOAA National Weather Service lightning expert. “People are struck because they are in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Why do you hear thunder but do not see lightning?

No, it is not possible to have lightning without thunder, according to NOAA . Thunder is a direct result of lightning. If you see lightning but don’t hear thunder, it is because the thunder is too far away.

What causes the loud noise of Thunder?

Thunder is the sound produced due to lightning. When lightning occurs, rapid expansion of air occurs due to increase in pressure and temperature. As a result, a sonic shock wave similar to a sonic boom is created which produces the loud sounds.

Why does thunder shake my house?

Shock waves are what makes your house shudder when there is thunder. In fact, thunder is a shock wave. Lightning is a powerful discharge of electricity moving through air. Air is a poor conductor of electricity, so when lightning bolts burst through air, the air acts as a resistor (i.e. a substance that impedes the flow of electricity).

Why does Thunder produce different sounds?

It makes an uneven, jumbled sound , because the lightning that created it is jagged and uneven (see image at right) Thunder also sounds different depending on how far away you are from the lightning, what type of discharge it is ( intracloud, cloud-to-ground ), and which part of the lightning you hear first.