Physics and Natural Sciences
How far away was the lightning?
You see a flash of lightning and hear the thunder 6 seconds later. How far away was the strike? What did you assume?
- Hint 1Sound travels at about 340 m/s in air.
- Hint 2How long does the light take to reach you?
- Light takes about 2 km ÷ 300,000 km/s, a few millionths of a second: effectively instant.
- So the 6 s is the sound's travel time.
- Distance ≈ 340 m/s × 6 s ≈ 2 km.
- Assumptions: still air at ordinary temperature and a straight path. Wind and temperature layers shift it a little.
Where it lands: About 2 km.
The trap: Subtracting the light's travel time as if it mattered, or using the speed of light for the sound.
What a tutor might ask next: Why does thunder rumble for several seconds instead of arriving as one bang?
Now do one out loud. In the interview you think aloud with a tutor. Try a Physics problem with hints, follow-ups and Mia's feedback on how you think.