Question

Sound travels at 348 m/s in the warm air surrounding a thunderstorm. How far away was the place of discharge if thunder is heard 4.63 s after a lightning flash?

a) 1,611.24 m
b) 1,611.12 m
c) 1,612.22 m
d) 1,612.24 m

Answer 1

To find the distance to the place of discharge of lightning, multiply the speed of sound (348 m/s) by the time delay (4.63 s), which equals 1,611.24 m.

Step-by-step explanation:

The student is asking about the calculation of distance based on the speed of sound and the time it takes for thunder to be heard after a lightning flash. This is a physics problem that involves the use of the formula distance = speed × time. The speed of sound in the warm air given is 348 m/s, and the time lag between seeing the lightning and hearing the thunder is 4.63 seconds.

To calculate the distance to the place of discharge of the lightning, you would multiply the speed of sound by the time delay:
Distance = 348 m/s × 4.63 s = 1,611.24 m. Therefore, the correct answer is (a) 1,611.24 m.