Why does thunder sound the way it does?
400449
Thunder is the explosive sound produced by an ordinary lightning discharge. The lightning bolt heats the air around it so quickly (within a few millionths of a second) and to such a high temperature (about 10,000° C, or about 18,000° F) that the air molecules are pushed apart with great force, much like in an explosion. A wave of compressed air (a sound wave) moves out from the lightning bolt.
988117
there's a phenomena called Virga, that occurs frequently that could be the cause of this...Virga is rain that doesn't actually reach the surface, and its possible if the thunderstorm just doesn't have enough moisture in them..but..most likely..is that the thunderstorm isn't mature enough to start raining yet..and will most likely start a few miles down the road\n\nThunder occurs anytime theres lightning, and Cloud to cloud lightning is very frequent, and isn't affected by the amount of precipitation in the cloud (although more precip will mean a stronger storm).\n\nYou're most likely hearing the thunder caused by cloud to cloud lighting..and the storm is not yet strong enough to begin precipitation at the surface
117333
Because of it's wave-like characteristics.\nSame thing happens to sound.  Travels faster in water than in air.  If you are underwater, and you hear a firecracker go off in the air above you, when that sound is passes to the water, the water molecules being more dense, will transmit it faster.\nNo more energy is added, nor does it pick up energy, but the medium vibrates at a faster frequency with the same amount of energy.\nThe amount of energy a wave has does not correspond to the speed at which it travels.
1157262
the wind cause the air particles to rub up agaisnt one another, creating friction.  the friction is the noise that you hear.
1174036
Lightning and thunder actually occured the same time. Only light travels faster than sound, so we see lightning before hear thunder.\n\nLightning is actually negative charges (electron) which jump to positive charges. How this charges formed?, Well, simply by the cloud moving in the sky.\n\nCloud 'rub' against air particle and positive and negative charges formed. Negative charges tend to appear at the botom or cloud while positive charges tend to appear at the top.\n\nWhen two clouds collide, the negative charges 'jump' to the positive charges (massively). This produces light and sound,, like normal spark, (only its a giant spark in the sky),\n\nSometimes lightning is dangerous becoz some positie charges 'dropped' to the ground, and the eloctron jumps to the ground, (a human standing there will be Bad Luck)
411710
Due to the density of Helium compared to pure air. Since our vocal chords are used to a certain amount of force the resonate at a 300m/s (speed of sound in on Earth) but since the helium replaces the denser air it makes our vocal chords resonate at a higher rate about 900m/s 2.5 times the speed of or normal voice. Hence making us sound like those darned chipmunks!
224271
Hello,\nLightening is caused due to the build up of electrons in the upper layers of the clouds during a storm. These electrons are attracted towards the positive potential of the earth, but the air gives a stiff resistance and does not allow the electricity to pass through. But when a huge potential has been accumulated, the electricity forces its way through the air molecules. This causes a lot of friction and hence releases heat energy. A tremendous amount of heat energy. This causes the air molecules to vibrate and this produces the cracking sound known as thunder. Thunder rattles the windows if it is loud enough. Sound is just the air particles vibrating and when the vibrating air molecules hit the window, they cause it to rattle. Lightning usually strikes the highest point and the most positively charged area. This is becuz lightning looks for the easiest way out of air. A high place means it has to travel less distance...
17837
The burst of flame rapidly heats the air, which causes it to expand.  This expansion creates a pressure wave traveling through the air, which basically is all sound is.
887907
Actually it is the other way around.  Since light travels faster than sound, you *see* lightning before you *hear* the accompanying thunder.\n\nLight travels at about 186,000 miles per *second*\nSound travels at about 760 miles per *hour*.  This works out to about 1/5 of a mile per second (0.2114... miles per second)\n\nSo if you count the time between when you see the lightning (almost instantaneously) and the time until you hear the lightning, then divide by 5, you can get a rough estimate of how far away to where the lightning is striking.\n\nIf the difference is 25 seconds, it is 5 miles away.  If it is 5 seconds, it is 1 mile away.  If it happens at the same time as the lightning... good luck!
339106
Thunderstorms mostly originate at low pressure areas. The low pressure draws in air and clounds of different electric charges which when they collide gives lightning.
486586
I think its a trumpet sound kind of messed around with studio equipment.Like techno music
780379
spark,lightning,thunder,shower
19940
Lightning nearly instantaneously superheats the air it passed through, which rapidly expands and then contracts again when it cools after the strike is over.  This creates a pressure wave which is the sound of thunder.
658441
Sound is the effect your brain evokes when your tympan vibrates. These vibrations are usually caused by air that was set on the move by a distant body (like a bell, for instance). Water and other liquids can perform the same effect as air, although the "sound" you will perceive is quite different due to the distinct elastic properties of the liquid.\nIn outer space, there is almost no matter at all (that´s why its called a "vacuum"). So, there is no way of propagating a "wave" since waves need matter to be propagated (air, water, solids, etc). \nThat´s why sound doesn´t exist in outer space.
93697
LOL!  It does indeed!  It's surrounded by air.  Sound waves travel through air.
468327
light cannot directly produce sound, but audible sound can be produced as a result of the rapid heating and expansion of the surrounding air of a powerful light beam.\nan example of this is thunder and lightning.
548585
A grain of rice makes a sound when it falls, too. It's just that our ears are not sensitive enough to hear it.\n\nBy your reasoning, a bat or a dog whistle doesn't make a sound either just because we as human beings can't hear it, and that's simply untrue.