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Thunder is a sound caused by lightning. Depending on the distance and the nature of the lightning, it can range from a sharp, loud crack to a long, low rumble (brontide). When the pressure and temperature of the lightning suddenly increase, the air inside and around the lightning strike expands rapidly. This expansion of the air then creates a sonic shock wave, often referred to as a “thunderclap” or “peal of thunder”.

Cause

The cause of thunder has been the subject of centuries of speculation and scientific research. The early thinking was that it was made by deities, but the ancient Greek philosophers attributed it to natural causes such as the clouds that hit the wind (Anaximander, Aristotle) and the movement of the air in the clouds (Democritus) it was due to natural causes. The Romanian philosopher Lucretius held that it was from the sound of hail colliding within clouds.

In the middle of the 19th century, the accepted theory was that lightning produced a vacuum. The collapse of that vacuum produced thunder.

Result

A shock wave is enough to cause injuries in thunder, such as property damage and internal contusion, to nearby people. Thunder can destroy rupture the eardrums of people nearby, resulting in permanent hearing loss. Otherwise, it may result in temporary deafness.

How Can You know If Lightning Is Nearby?

If you can see dark clouds, lightning may be present, but the thing you can do is hear the thunder. If you hear thunder, you have to go inside or get in a car. Do not go outside where lightning could strike! When your hair stands on end, or the skin starts to tingle, lightning may be about to strike.