Thunder & Lightning

Question 1

Aiden is camping and sees a jagged streak of light in the storm clouds. He starts counting and hears a booming sound 5 seconds later. Which explanation most accurately describes why the sound arrived after the light?

Accepted Answer

Light moves through the air much faster than sound, so the flash reaches Aiden before the thunder does.

Answer

Lightning is higher up than thunder, so its light has a shorter distance to travel than the sound.

Answer

Thunder is made by rain hitting the ground, and rain drops fall slower than light.

Answer

The clouds block the sound, making it travel a longer path to reach Aiden.

Question 2

Which sentence best describes what lightning really is?

Accepted Answer

Lightning is a huge spark of electricity that jumps through the clouds during a thunderstorm.

Answer

Lightning is the sound that clouds make when they move quickly.

Answer

Lightning is the bright color of rain falling from the sky.

Answer

Lightning is the warm wind that blows when clouds are heavy.

Question 3

While watching a summer thunderstorm from his patio, Noah sees a bright, jagged flash that starts in one part of a dark cloud and quickly moves to another part of the same cloud. Which sentence best describes what that flash is?

Accepted Answer

It is a huge spark of electricity that jumps between oppositely charged areas inside the cloud, producing a bright flash of light.

Answer

It is a small fire that starts in the cloud and spreads to the next part, making a bright light.

Answer

It is sunlight that reflects off a raindrop and looks like a flash.

Answer

It is a sound wave that we can see traveling through the cloud.

Try three questions

Aiden is camping and sees a jagged streak of light in the storm clouds. He starts counting and hears a booming sound 5 seconds later. Which explanation most accurately describes why the sound arrived after the light?

Which sentence best describes what lightning really is?

While watching a summer thunderstorm from his patio, Noah sees a bright, jagged flash that starts in one part of a dark cloud and quickly moves to another part of the same cloud. Which sentence best describes what that flash is?

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