The speed of sound in air on a certain stormy day is about 1130 feet per second. You see a flash of lightning striking some distance away, and seven seconds later you hear the clap of thunder. How many miles away did the lightning strike? Round your answer to the nearest mile. Note: The speed of light is so much faster than the speed of sound that you can assume that the strike occurs at the instant you see it.

Question

Mathematics

Sophia Farmer

5 July, 13:07

The speed of sound in air on a certain stormy day is about 1130 feet per second. You see a flash of lightning striking some distance away, and seven seconds later you hear the clap of thunder. How many miles away did the lightning strike? Round your answer to the nearest mile. Note: The speed of light is so much faster than the speed of sound that you can assume that the strike occurs at the instant you see it.

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Answers (1)

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Amara Greene · Answer 1

distance = 1.5 miles (approx.)

Step-by-step explanation:

given,

speed of sound = 1130 ft/s

1 ft = 0.3048

1130 ft/s = 0.3048 * 1130 m/s

= 344.424 m/s

time = 7 second

distance = speed * time

distance = 344.424 * 7

distance = 2410.968 m

1 m = 0.0006214 miles

2410.968 m = (0.0006214 * 2410.968) miles

distance = 1.498 miles

distance = 1.5 miles (approx.)