What Causes a Thunderstorm to Sound So Loud?

Thunder is the sound of lightning. When lightning strikes, it heats up the air around it really fast, so fast that the air expands quickly and makes a loud boom. It’s like when you blow on a balloon really hard and it pops!

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Examples

A lightning bolt hits a tree nearby, and you hear a loud boom right above your head.
You’re playing outside when it starts to rain, and suddenly there’s a big thunderclap.
Thunder sounds like a giant drum being hit from the sky.

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Categories: Science · thunder,sound,weather