Lightning Flash and Thunderstorm Distance Calculation

How far from the storm is the observer if they see a lightning flash and hear the sound 12 seconds later?

A) 2.4 kilometers

B) 4.8 kilometers

C) 1.6 kilometers

D) 9.6 kilometers

Final answer:

The observer is approximately 4.116 kilometers away from the storm. This is calculated by multiplying the speed of sound in air at 20°C (343 m/s) by the time delay (12 seconds) between seeing the lightning and hearing the thunder.

Explanation:

This problem is based on the speed of sound in air at a particular temperature and using the concept of time delay between the lightning flash and hearing the thunder. The speed of sound in air depends on the temperature and at 20°C, it's approximately 343 m/s. If an observer hears the thunder 12 seconds after they see the lightning flash, you can calculate the distance by multiplying the speed of sound in air by the time difference.

Here's the calculation:

• Speed of sound in air at 20°C: ~343 m/s
• Time delay between light and sound: 12 seconds
• Distance = Speed x Time = 343 m/s x 12 s = 4116 meters or 4.116 kilometers.

So, the observer is approximately 4.116 kilometers away from the storm, which will be rounded to the nearest option as 4.1 kilometers (though an exact option is not provided in the given choices).