Question

During a thunderstorm, lightning is seen first and thunder is heard later on. Why?
a. First light and then the sound is produced
b. Light travels faster than sound
c. Sound travels faster than light
d. Sound becomes feeble due to storm

Answer 1

Hint: During the thunderstorm, when the potential difference between the storm cloud and the earth increases an electrical discharge is seen this is the Lightning. And the sound or the thunder is created due to the rapid expansion of the air around the lightning. The speed of light is greater than any particle or wave.

Complete step by step answer:
The amount of charge is large inside a cloud, then it creates an electric induction on the earth's surface. Hence, the potential difference between the cloud and the earth's surface increases, the discharging occurs.
This is called Lightning. The sound which is heard during the lightning is called thunder.
The speed of light is $3 \times {10^8}{\text{ m/s}}$ and the speed of a sound wave is around $330{\text{ m/s}}$ . Hence the light is faster than sound. So the light covers the path so early than the sound wave. Hence we see the lightning before the thunder.

Hence, the correct answer is option (B).

Additional Information:
The scientists assume that the ultraviolet ray, the radioactive ray charge the air particle, and the water particle of the clouds. Besides these, the water particles of clouds become charged by friction with each other.
For the sparkle, the air around the clouds expands suddenly and then the pressure suddenly decreases.
Due to this sudden expansion and compression of the air, a loud sound is created that is called the Thunder of the cloud.

Note: The water particles become charged by the ultraviolet ray, the radioactive ray as well as friction themselves. So they become charged in the natural process. This charge can be positive or negative. The discharging action is seen between the opposite charges and sparkle is seen.
A conductor of lightning is a rod metal or a piece of wire which is the electrical discharge and leads harmlessly to earth.
Also they can be seen on towers and spires, other than the tall building to protect them from major damage.