Thunder is the sound caused by lightning. [1][2][3] Depending upon the distance from and nature of the lightning, it can range from a long, low rumble to a sudden, loud crack.

Dec 30, 2002 · Thunder is caused by lightning, which is essentially a stream of electrons flowing between or within clouds, or between a cloud and the ground. The air surrounding the electron …

This rapid expansion and contraction creates the sound wave that we hear as thunder. Although a lightning discharge usually strikes just one spot on the ground, it travels many miles through the air.

thunder, sound caused by a lightning discharge. Lightning heats the air in its path and causes a large over-pressure of the air within its channel. The channel expands supersonically into the surrounding …

May 15, 2025 · Thunder occurs when lightning heats the air to about 30,000 °C (54,000 °F), causing it to expand rapidly and create a shock wave. Essentially, at the moment of the lightning discharge, areas …

Lightning is the most spectacular element of a thunderstorm. Learn how lightning forms, how lightning leads to thunder, and about the types of lightning that occur.

Essentially, thunder is the sound produced by lightning. When lightning strikes, the narrow channel of air through which it travels reaches temperatures of up to 30,000 °C almost instantly.

Jun 5, 2025 · We explain how thunder is formed from lightning, and how we can use it to analyze a storm.

Jun 1, 2018 · Thunder is the sound produced by rapidly expanding and contracting pockets of air associated with lightning. So to understand thunder, it helps to know a little about lightning.

The meaning of THUNDER is the sound that follows a flash of lightning and is caused by sudden expansion of the air in the path of the electrical discharge. How to use thunder in a sentence.