Multiple choice general knowledge science & technology

Approximately how many seconds does it take for thunder to reach you if lightning strikes one kilometre away

  1. 10

  2. 1

  3. 3

  4. 5
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Sound travels at approximately 343 meters per second in air at room temperature. For lightning striking 1 kilometer away, it takes approximately 3 seconds (1000 meters / 343 m/s ≈ 2.92 seconds) for the thunder to reach the observer. The 5-second rule is a common approximation where every 5 seconds equals approximately 1 mile.

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