Science Secrets · Drawing 15 of 40
Lightning, Then Thunder!
Light and Sound
Lightning makes a flash and produces thunder. Light travels much faster than sound. You see the flash before you hear the rumble. The dog has found a cosy hiding spot!
Did you know?
Thunder comes from air heated very rapidly by lightning.
Look together
Which reaches you first: the light or the sound?
An idea to try
With an adult, watch a video of a storm filmed from far away. Compare the moment of the flash with the rumble.
For the adult reading along
A little more to discover
Lightning rapidly heats air; its expansion produces a sound wave. Light and sound come from the same event but travel at very different speeds. During a real storm, stay indoors and away from windows. The activity uses a video, not an outing in a storm.
Sources and illustration notes (1)
Simplified scene and shapes. Models, imagined comparisons and enlargements do not preserve all real measurements.
These links lead to other websites. Explore them with an adult. References identify the institution and the related lesson; some linked pages are in French.
- National Weather Service: Understanding Lightning - ThunderLightning rapidly heats air, producing thunder; light reaches an observer before the slower sound. Counting must be done in a safe place.
Source review: 2026-10-13. Illustrations are simplified for colouring.
