Final answer:
The lightning strike was approximately 2790 feet away from the observer, calculated using the speed of sound at an air temperature of 66.8°F and the time delay of 2.48 seconds between seeing the lightning and hearing the thunder.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question asks how far away a lightning strike was if thunder was heard 2.48 seconds after the lightning was seen. To determine the distance to the lightning strike, we can use the speed of sound in air. The speed of sound varies with air temperature, but at 66.8°F (approximately 19.3°C), the speed of sound is roughly 343 meters per second (1125 feet per second).
Using the formula distance = speed × time, and knowing that the time between seeing lightning and hearing thunder is 2.48 seconds, we can calculate the distance in feet as follows:
Distance = 1125 ft/s × 2.48 s = 2790 feet.
So, the lightning strike occurred approximately 2790 feet away from the observer.