Science Common Sense

914 - What causes lightning and thunder during a storm?

Imagine a huge electrical charge building up in a storm cloud. Lightning happens when this charge releases a massive burst of electricity from the cloud to the ground or to another cloud. This movement of electricity makes the air around it hot and expand rapidly, creating a loud sound called thunder.

Here's a simple step by step explanation:

1. A storm cloud builds up electrical charge (like static electricity).
2. When the charge is too strong, it releases a lightning bolt (a burst of electricity).
3. This lightning bolt heats the air around it, making the air expand.
4. As the air expands rapidly, it creates a loud noise - thunder.

That's why you often see lightning and then hear thunder a little while later. Light travels faster than sound, so you see the lightning before you hear the thunder.