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How far away is the storm?

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dot.hawkes | 03:27 Wed 19th Jul 2006 | Science
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since I was little , i have always counted from when the lightening flashed to when the thunder rolled, and the number i got to was how far away the storm was in miles, so if i counted to 10 it was 10 miles away. how scientifically accurate is this method.?
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drestie showed me that klink last night but i still did not fully grasp why the counting method is now suddenly not accurate after having known about it an used it for nearly 50 years.
Sound travels at (about) 700mph at sea level. Thats 11 2/3 miles per minute or 0.194 miles per second. Therefore in 5 seconds it will travel near enough 1 mile. So, you see the flash, count in seconds 'til you hear the thunder, divide by 5 and thats how many miles away the lightning bolt was /storm is.
Thanks everyone - she just wouldn't believe me :)
Try the following demonstration:

Find a dark spot where you have measured off a distance of one-mile. At the other end of this distance have someone light a loud bright fire-cracker. This effect can also be measured when observing a fire-works display provided they are dispersed in time enough to distinguish which boom came from which explosion (flash). (Proving the speed of light may will require a little more technology).

Anyone else have any bright ideas?

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