Why do lightning and thunder occur simultaneously? What is the major factor of it?

Question

Why do lightning and thunder occur simultaneously? What is the major factor of it?

Answer 1

I might not have understood your question. I believe that lightning and thunder do not occur simultaneously. Lightining is seen first as light travels faster than sound.

Answer 2

lightning rushing thru cold air causes a heating of the air and results in a conflict between the two air masses.

Answer 3

if you heard the thunder at the exact moment you saw lightning, you got no business being outside at that point. you need to get your tale inside a building or car because that struck within a block of where you are if not on your property

Answer 4

static electricity built up in the sky.

Answer 5

They don't.  You see lightning and you hear the shockwave, which is the thunder.   But there is a time lapse between the two.

Answer 6

Thunder is a direct result of lightning, so they occur simultaneously.  However, you do not hear the thunder until after the lightning strike because light travels much faster than sound.

Answer 7

heat caused by lightning causes air to expand instantly, creating a shock waves which we hear as thunder

-we see lightning before thunder because light travels faster than sound

Answer 8

Thunder is the sound lightning makes.