What is thunder: Definition and 25 Discussions

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. The sudden increase in temperature and hence pressure caused by the lightning produces rapid expansion of the air in the path of a lightning bolt. In turn, this expansion of air creates a sonic shock wave, often referred to as a "thunderclap" or "peal of thunder". The scientific study of thunder is known as brontology and the irrational fear (phobia) of thunder is called brontophobia.

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  1. K

    The Probability of Rain: A Meteorologist's Perspective.

    I searched, "is infinity possible?" Because I was coming up with some thoughts which seemed logical (I hope) so I was compelled to find others discussing the topic to see if I even came close to several different answers.
  2. G

    Tornado Biggest Lightning Thunder BOOM Explosion EVER

    I was a storm chaser for many years. I have seen 100s of tornadoes. I have seen all types of lightning, hail, wind, rain, etc. I thought I had seen it all until last night. Radar shows counter clock wise rotation moving east I appeared to me in the exact path. There were no lightning...
  3. G

    I What Causes Thunder? New Research Answers

    The newest research information about what causes thunder makes more sense then the old theories. Tests show a capacitor bank discharged into a measured water volume turns into steam instantly producing 1800 volume of steam, producing more power than some explosives. A 300 mega watt...
  4. M

    MHB Are You Prepared for the Mark of the Beast in A Distant Thunder?

    From the 1978 movie A Distant Thunder. The following statement is made by UNITE , the Antichrist government, when the mark of the beast becomes mandatory in the movie. Brother Christopher in this film is the Antichrist aka the Beast of Revelation 13. As you read the words below, keep in mind...
  5. EmilyBergendahl

    Electric Potential Difference during thunder storm

    Homework Statement During a thunder storm, movement of water molecules within clouds creates friction which causes the bottom of the clouds to become negatively charged. This means that the bottom of the cloud and the ground begin to act like parallel plates. Once the electric field between the...
  6. Edison Bias

    B Exploring the Science Behind Thunder: Understanding the Sound of Storms

    Hi! I wonder what makes thunder sound the way it does. I don't really understand lightning either but it is more easy to understand why it sounds. But what makes thunder sound? What happens up there in the sky? Edison PS I see now that there is a similar thread already, in spite of this I...
  7. C

    Why does the thunder from lighting last much longer than the flash?

    I was walking home today when I noticed that the flash from a lighting takes a fraction of a second while the sound lasts a good 5-6 seconds. I couldn't think of an explanation for this, except a wild guess that maybe the source of sound is a line source and sound from different points on the...
  8. S

    Can You Get Electrocuted in the Shower During a Thunderstorm?

    I'm in a 10 year old apt building. I really want to take a shower, but it's a lightning show out there. Is it a myth that you can get electrocuted taking a shower during a thunder storm?
  9. N

    How to catch the thunder bolt?

    Hi everyone, I am a Mechanical engineer, but i think my knowledge is very limited so please forgive me if i write something wrong. As we can see the world wide crisis of energy, i have an idea to solve it. HOW?? Its the most interesting part... I always though about catching the thunder but...
  10. N

    Lightning Rods: Can They Stop Thunder?

    can lightning rod prevent the sound of thunder near the area the lightning stroke?
  11. I

    Sound intensity level of a thunder bolt

    Homework Statement Find the sound intensity level of a thunder bolt, if a person is standing 200 m from the spot it hits. The bolt hits the ground vertically and the height of the bolt is 1500 m. The bolt has an electrical current of 20 kA and a voltage of 30 MV. It discharges thrice, each...
  12. S

    Exploring the Generation of Sound and Electrical Energy in Thunderstorms

    How is sound and electrical energy generated in a thunder storm? i know that in thunder storms large amounts of energy is released when the water vapour in the clouds condenses into water,but that is supposed to be in the form of heat energy (the same heat energy that was absorbed by the water...
  13. M

    Theoretical Gunshot with Thunder

    Hey, I found this site while studying for my physics midterm, but then I can across an interesting question in a video game. In Battlefield:Bad Company 2, there is a mission where you have to snipe somebody but do it so nobody hears a gunshot, you accomplish this by firing when you see...
  14. T

    Magnetic Field Under a Thunder Storm

    Hello, I've been trying to figure out the shape of the magnetic field that would accompany the movement of electrons in the ground moving towards the center of the thunderstorm. In a perfect world where the electron distribution is even in the ground and where the Earth consists of like...
  15. O

    Lightning's glow: AC or DC?

    Usually all of us observe thundering light at rainy day. A light is produced. Is that a.c or d.c Thanks
  16. P

    Harm of discharge of thunder in village is worse than cities?

    hi. my question:why the harm of discharge of thunder in village is worse than cities?
  17. J

    Why Is the Speed of Light Ignored When Calculating the Distance of Lightning?

    Homework Statement suppose you hear a clap of thunder 16.2s after seeing the associated lightning stroke. The speed of sound waves in air is 343 m/s and the speed of light in air is 3.00E8 m/s. How far are you from the lightning stroke? Homework Equations 5556.6m is the correct...
  18. P

    Can external current pass through Faraday cage,like thunder?

    Can external current pass through Faraday cage,like thunder? Will be there electrical field, inside the Faraday cage?
  19. A

    Physical explanation for thunder

    folks, when i was small,the explanation for thunder,given to me was that when two clouds clash lightning is produced and due to the collision thunder is heard but now someone told me that thunder is caused when two clouds clash charges are neutralised and large amount of...
  20. Evo

    A Sound of Thunder": Ray Bradbury's Story & Movie Review

    Ok, I really need to pull my head out of the sand once in a while. I was telling a friend about this great time travel story I had read back in my teens, but couldn't remember who wrote it. I decided to google it and found out the story I had read as a teen was a short story by Ray Bradbury...
  21. wolram

    Thunder Storm: Can Things Get Any Better?

    Thor is banging his anvil the sky is bright with multi forked lightning and the rain can not fall from the sky fast enough, can things get any better :biggrin:
  22. E

    Speed for lightning and thunder

    i don't understand how you can estimate how far the lightning flash is from you by counting the seconds betw the flash and thunder, then divide by three to result in the distance in kilometers. can someone please explain where does the logic that resulted in this rule? i don't understand why it...
  23. R

    Skies have opened up with thunder

    It's 0249 local time and the skies have opened up with thunder. I live in building X and I'm currently 'studying' in building Y, a lovely 1km walk from X in sunny weather or a terrible 1,000,000-millimeter dash through walls of water. I may not be on continental NA anymore - perhaps some sort of...
  24. S

    Why Do Dogs Fear Thunder? Exploring the Unknown

    Hey all, I have been trying to find an answer to this for ages. Why is it that dogs are scared of thunder? (or should i say most dogs are) I understand them being scared by fireworks, because they are not a natural phenomenon, but thunder... i figure wolfs in the wild would have to learn to...
  25. P

    Why does thunder from a distance rumble

    why does thunder from a distance rumble, but thunder really close make a loud crack. shouldn't the distant thunder just be a quieter version of the loud closer thunder/lightning my hypothesis is that it is due to different temeratures in the air between me and the lightning so when the...
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