Question
Download Solution PDFThe flash of lightning is seen before the thunderstorm is heard. It verifies that
Answer (Detailed Solution Below)
Detailed Solution
Download Solution PDFThe correct answer is Light travels much faster than sound.
Key Points
- Light travels at a much higher speed than sound.
- The speed of light in a vacuum is 3,00,000 km/s, while the speed of sound varies depending on the medium but is much slower (e.g., around 343 meters per second in air).
- When lightning occurs, the light from the flash reaches the observer almost instantaneously, while the sound of thunder takes some time to travel through the air.
- The time gap between seeing the lightning and hearing the thunder can be used to estimate the distance of the lightning strike.
Additional Information
- According to Einstein's special relativity, the speed of light has a unique state: it is a fundamental characteristic of our universe, representing the maximum speed at which information can travel from one place to another.
- The twinkling of a star is due to the atmospheric refraction of starlight.
- The starlight, on entering the earth’s atmosphere, undergoes refraction continuously before it reaches the earth.
- The atmospheric refraction occurs in a medium of gradually changing refractive index.
- Since the atmosphere bends starlight towards the normal, the apparent position of the star is slightly different from its actual position.
Last updated on Jun 18, 2025
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