Is it true that if I count the seconds after it lightenings to the time it thunders?

Question

...I will be able to tell how far away the storm is?

Answer 1

Yes, it can be done. The speed of sound varies somewhat with temperature,(see the link below), but the idea is this.

since we see the lighting at the speed of light it is effectively instantaneous. If we know the speed of sound and how long it take sound to reach us then

distance to storm = speed of sound  x  time

Answer 2

Yes, sound is a vibration that travels through the air. The speed of sound describes how much distance such a wave travels in a certain amount of time. In dry air at 20 °C (68 °F), the speed of sound is 343 m/s (1235 km/h, or 770 mph, or 1129 ft/s, or approximately 5 seconds per mile).

So, just count at a rate of one count per second, and for every five counts, one mile of distance!

Answer 3

Yes it is true. The sound of thunder travels at 1/5 of a mile per second. So, it takes the sound of thunder 5 seconds to travel a mile.

Example: If you see a lightning bolt and you hear the thunder seven seconds later, that lightning bolt was 1 and 2/5 of a mile away.

Answer 4

Yes. Using the flash-to-bang method allows you to determine the distance of a lightning strike relative to where you are. Since sound travels at a speed of 1/5 of a mile per second, simply count the number of seconds it takes for you to hear thunder. Divide the time (in seconds) by 5 to obtain the number of miles you are from the lightning strike, and technically, the thunderstorm.