Question
How does the speed of light waves, like lightning, compare to the speed of sound waves, like thunder?
A
They are the same speed.
B
Light waves move faster.
C
Sound waves move faster.
D
Sometimes sound waves are faster than light waves, and sometimes light waves are faster than sound waves.
A
They are the same speed.
B
Light waves move faster.
C
Sound waves move faster.
D
Sometimes sound waves are faster than light waves, and sometimes light waves are faster than sound waves.
Answers
GPT-4o mini
The correct answer is **B: Light waves move faster.**
Light waves, such as those emitted by lightning, travel at the speed of light, which is approximately 299,792 kilometers per second (or about 186,282 miles per second). In contrast, sound waves, like those we hear as thunder after seeing a lightning strike, travel much slower—about 343 meters per second (or roughly 1,125 feet per second) in air at room temperature. Therefore, light travels much faster than sound.
Light waves, such as those emitted by lightning, travel at the speed of light, which is approximately 299,792 kilometers per second (or about 186,282 miles per second). In contrast, sound waves, like those we hear as thunder after seeing a lightning strike, travel much slower—about 343 meters per second (or roughly 1,125 feet per second) in air at room temperature. Therefore, light travels much faster than sound.