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Thunder is the sound of the Shockwave caused when Lightning instantly heats the air around it to up to 30 000 °C (54 000 °F ). That super-heated air expands rapidly, then contracts as it cools. The rapid expansion/contraction generates sound waves, making the sound that is called "thunder."


ETYMOLOGY

  • ''þunraz'', built on a PIE stem ---' also found in Sanskrit ' "thundering", Latin ''tonare'' "to thunder" (see also Tornado ).



CALCULATING DISTANCE

Since Sound and Light travel at different speeds through the Atmosphere , one can estimate how far away the bolt of lightning is by timing the interval between seeing the flash and hearing the thunder. The Speed Of Sound in air is approximately 332 M /s (742.6 mph). The Speed Of Light is so fast that it can be ignored in this calculation. Therefore, the lightning is approximately one kilometer distant for every 3 seconds (or one mile for every 5 seconds).


LIST OF THUNDER GODS

Polytheistic peoples in areas with much thunder, or areas where thunder precedes drought-breaking rain, may postulate a thunder God .


Ancient Near East



Eurasian



East Asia



Americas



Africa



South Pacific


''See also'':


SEE ALSO



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