If you count 20 seconds between seeing...

Question 1 of 2707066636ee928f7522a1c519445

If you count 20 seconds between seeing lightning and hearing the thunder, how far is the storm away from you?

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Question 1 of 27070

Q

If you count 20 seconds between seeing lightning and hearing the thunder, how far is the storm away from you?

🔍 Key Concepts

• Approximate speed of sound in air in feet per second or miles per 5 seconds • Relationship: Distance = Speed × Time • Converting seconds of delay into miles of distance

💭 Think About

• First, recall or estimate how far sound travels in about 5 seconds, then scale that up to 20 seconds. • Think about how many 5‑second intervals fit into 20 seconds, and multiply that number by the distance sound travels in 5 seconds. • Compare your calculated distance with the answer choices to find the closest match.

✅ Before You Answer

• Be sure you’re using the speed of sound, not light (light is essentially instantaneous here). • Confirm your units are consistent: if time is in seconds, your speed should be in distance per second. • Double‑check that you multiplied by the correct number of 5‑second intervals within 20 seconds.