Calculate Distance of Lightning Strike with Temperature and Time | Homework Help

[sciencegeek101]

Homework Statement

1. A flash of lightning is seen followed by the sound of the thunder 7.0 s later. If the temperature outside is 15 °C, how far away was the lightning strike?

Homework Equations

V(sound)= 331m/s+(0.59)(T)
D=V(T)

The Attempt at a Solution

V(sound)=331+(0.59)(15)
V(sound)= 339.85

d=VT
d= (339.85)(7)
=2378.95
Therefore the lightning struck 2378.95m away

 

[Simon Bridge]

Well done - treating the speed of light as infinite is probably good enough here.
You may want to watch the sig figs though - all measurements are quoted to 2 sig figs. but your answer has six.

 

[sciencegeek101]

Well done - treating the speed of light as infinite is probably good enough here.
You may want to watch the sig figs though - all measurements are quoted to 2 sig figs. but your answer has six.

Ok thank you, if I were to put this in significant digits what would the answer be? I am not really familiar with sig digs :/

 

[Simon Bridge]

If you don't know about them, then you may not need them ... yet.
But just in case:
http://www.purplemath.com/modules/rounding2.htm
http://www.chem.sc.edu/faculty/morgan/resources/sigfigs/