Storyclover
Storyclover
On a warm afternoon, Mina stood beneath the porch roof with her stopwatch ready. Blue-gray clouds gathered over the meadow, and she wanted to catch a flash and a boom at the same time.
Why Does Thunder Arrive After the Flash?Lightning and thunder happen together, but light travels much faster than sound, so we see the flash before hearing the boom.
1. On a warm afternoon, Mina stood beneath the porch roof with her stopwatch ready. Blue-gray clouds gathered over the meadow, and she wanted to catch a flash and a boom at the same time.
2. A bright zigzag sprang across the clouds. Mina pressed the button at once and held her breath while the rain ticked on the roof.
3. One, two, three... BOOM! The thunder rolled over the meadow. Mina stopped the stopwatch and frowned at its late time.
4. Why did the thunder wait? Mina listened to the rain, the wind, and the soft creak of the porch. Perhaps the boom was taking a long road.
5. Mina made a small experiment. She shone a flashlight toward a far tree and tapped a drum beside her. The light reached the tree before the tap's sound reached her ears.
6. That gave Mina a clue, but she needed the real storm. When the next flash lit the clouds, she clicked the stopwatch and watched the empty sky.
7. The boom came later, just as before. Mina held up four fingers, like a very slow runner counting footsteps. She finally understood: thunder was not late to begin; it was late to reach her.
8. Lightning and thunder happen together, but light travels much faster than sound, so we see the flash before hearing the boom.
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