Thunder
Categories: Meteorology | Weather
- For the rock band, see Thunder (band).
Thunder is the sound of the shockwave caused when lightning instantly heats the air around it to up to 30 000 °C (54 000 °F). That super-heated air expands rapidly, then contracts as it cools. The rapid expansion/contraction generates sound waves, making the sound that is called "thunder."
Since sound and light travel at different speeds through the atmosphere, one can time the interval between them to roughly estimate how far away the bolt of lightning is. The speed of sound in air is approximately 340 m/s (761 mph), while the speed of light is so fast that the lightning is seen only a few microseconds after the event, so the lightning is approximately one kilometer distant for every 3 second interval (one mile for every 5 seconds).
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List of thunder gods
Polytheistic peoples in areas with much thunder, or areas where thunder precedes drought-breaking rain, may postulate a thunder god.
European gods
- Zeus (Greek mythology)
- Jupiter and Jofur (Roman mythology)
- Thor (Norse mythology)
- Ambisagrus (Celtic mythology)
- Ukko (Finnish mythology)
- Horagalles (Sami mythology)
- Aplu (Etruscan mythology)
- Gebeleizis (Dacian mythology)
- Zibelthiurdos (Thracian mythology)
- Perkūnas (Lithuanian mythology)
- Perendi (Albanian mythology)
Asian gods
- Lei Gong (Chinese mythology)
- Raiden (Japanese mythology)
- Raijin (Japanese mythology)
- Raitaro (Japanese mythology)
- Ajisukitakahikone (Japanese mythology)
- Teshub (Hurrian mythology)
- Adad (Babylonian-Assyrian mythology)
- Ishkur (Babylonian-Assyrian mythology)
- Baal-Hadad (Syrian mythology)
- Parjanya (Hinduism
Gods of the Americas
- Xolotl (Aztec and Toltec mythology)
- Chac (Maya mythology)
- Apocatequil (Incan mythology)
- Cocijo (Mexican mythology)
- Aktzin (Mexican mythology)
- Jasso (Mexican mythology)
- Haokah (Lakota mythology)
African gods
- Shango (Yorùbá mythology)
- Oya (goddess of thunder, Yoruba mythology)
- Azaka-Tonnerre (Voodoo)
- Mulungu
Gods of the South Pacific
- Haikili (Polynesian mythology)
- Tawhaki (Polynesian mythology)
- Kaha'i (Polynesian mythology)
- Uira (Polynesian mythology)
See also: Category:Thunder gods
See also
External links
- The Sounds of Thunder
- Seek My Bowl on thunder as symbol.ca:Tro
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