In atmospheric electricity, the sound that is heard following a bright flash of lightning is called what?

Introduction / Context:
When a lightning flash occurs during a thunderstorm, we usually see the bright flash first and then hear a loud sound after a short delay. This common natural event provides a classic example used in physics to explain the behaviour of light and sound. The question checks whether you know the correct term for the sound that follows lightning and understand the basic idea of how it is produced in the atmosphere.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• A flash of lightning occurs in the sky during a thunderstorm.
• After the flash, a loud sound is heard from the clouds.
• We assume standard atmospheric conditions, where sound travels much more slowly than light.
• The question asks for the correct name of this sound phenomenon.

Concept / Approach:
Lightning is a sudden and powerful electric discharge between clouds or between a cloud and the ground. This discharge rapidly heats the surrounding air to an extremely high temperature. The hot air expands explosively and then contracts, producing pressure waves that travel through the atmosphere. These pressure waves are sound waves, and the term used in physics and meteorology for this sound associated with lightning is “thunder.” The idea is to connect the visual flash with the correct acoustic term.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recognise that the bright flash in a thunderstorm is called lightning, which is an electrical discharge. Step 2: Understand that the sound that follows lightning is due to the rapid expansion and contraction of air, which generates sound waves. Step 3: Recall that the standard term used in daily life and science for this loud sound is “thunder.” Step 4: Compare with the options: “Stoning,” “Bolting,” and “Cloud clash” are not standard scientific or commonly used terms for this sound. Step 5: Conclude that “Thunder” is the only correct and accepted term for the sound following a flash of lightning.

Verification / Alternative check:
Textbooks, dictionaries and weather reports consistently pair the words “lightning and thunder” when describing storms. There is no recognised physical phenomenon called “stoning,” “bolting” or “cloud clash” in this context. Also, the separation in time between lightning and thunder is explained by the fact that light travels almost instantaneously to our eyes, whereas sound travels at roughly 340 m/s and reaches us later. This agreement between common language and scientific explanation confirms the correctness of “thunder.”

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Stoning: This word does not refer to any atmospheric sound related to lightning in physics or meteorology.
Bolting: Sometimes people say “bolt of lightning,” but “bolting” is not the name of the sound itself.
Cloud clash: This phrase is informal and not used as a technical or standard term for the sound after lightning.

Common Pitfalls:
A few learners may confuse the idea of the lightning “bolt” with the sound and think that the sound is also called a bolt. Others might get distracted by invented phrases like “cloud clash.” However, in both everyday language and physics, the correct term is “thunder.” Remember the common pair “lightning and thunder” whenever you encounter similar questions.

Final Answer:
The sound that follows a flash of lightning is called Thunder.