Seven seconds after a brilliant flash of lightning, thunder shakes the house. How far was the lightning strike from the house?
A) Much closer than one kilometer
B) About one kilometer away
C) About two kilometers away
D) Much farther away than two kilometers
E) It is impossible to predict.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The rule of thumb is that it takes approximately 5 seconds for the sound of thunder to travel one mile (or 1.6 kilometers). Since the thunder shook the house seven seconds after the lightning, the lightning strike was about 2 kilometers away.

Seven Seconds After a Brilliant Flash of Lightning, Thunder Shakes