Final answer:
To determine the time between seeing lightning and hearing thunder for a distance of 3.5 miles at 62.7°F, convert the distance to meters and divide by the speed of sound at that temperature. The calculation shows that approximately 16.42 seconds will elapse.
Step-by-step explanation:
To calculate how many seconds will elapse between seeing lightning and hearing the thunder if the lightning strikes 3.5 mi (18480 ft) away and the air temperature is 62.7°F, we use the speed of sound, which varies with air temperature. At 62.7°F, the speed of sound is approximately 343 meters per second (m/s).
First, we need to convert the distance from miles to meters: 3.5 mi ≈ 5632.7 meters (1 mile ≈ 1609.34 meters).
Next, we calculate the time it takes for the sound to travel that distance by dividing the distance by the speed of sound:
Time = Distance / Speed of sound = 5632.7 m / 343 m/s ≈ 16.42 seconds.
Therefore, approximately 16.42 seconds will elapse between seeing the lightning and hearing the thunder.