If thunder is the sound of lightning could you make an instrument that will allow you to make light and sound in a similar way?

Answer 1

Yes, but not in the way you mean - thunder is the sound of the air being ripped apart when lightning strikes. The jump of the spark from the clouds to the ground creates a pressure wave in the air that we percieve as sound and refer to as thunder. You could make an instrument that creates lightning like sparking, but the sounds would be popping and buzzing. The instrument would probably be a Tesla coil.

Answer 2

It has been a lot of years since I had any science classes, BUT my recollection suggests that answer 1 is incorrect, in that the sound wave is not generated when the air is "ripped apart."

As I understand the process, the lightening bolt [an electrical ARC] ionizes a column of air, which results in great HEAT and THERMAL EXPANSION of the air within the column.

Then when the expanded air rapidly cools, it rapidly "shrinks," and the COLLISION of the air molecules RETURNING TO FILL THE VOID, creates the shock wave that we hear as a thunder "clap."

As answer 1 indicates, ANY spark discharge creates a sound. The ONLY difference in sound VOLUME between a lightening bolt and a static spark [as between your fingertip and a doorknob] is the amount of energy discharged in creating the arc.

Research facilities have been generating man-made lightening bolts for years. And, YES you could make an "instrument" to accomplish the same thing, IF you have enough money and knowhow.

Answer 3

Yes. There is video of such an instrument here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_PHLUvDZSg

Answer 4

If you check out the video in answer 4, note that the "Super Mario Theme" music soundtrack has been added, and what is the subject of the demonstration : music.

The arc [spark] "sound" is being fed to an amplifier, which is coupled to the static electric generator, using the music to modulate the static discharge ["lightning"].

The only sound of the arc discharge can only be heard during the first 10 seconds of the video, until they start the music audio input signal.

The original question says "make light and sound in a similar way?" The Van der Graf static electric generator in the video is only capable of creating a microscopic "lightning bolt" accompanied by a "microscopic" "thunder clap" [heard only a "sizzling" static sound].

Again, a true monster discharge arc could be generated, IF one had enough money for equipment, and the knowledge to create it. The technology and ability to do so has been around for a long time. Until someone is willing to spend a fortune to accomplish it, we will have to be satisfied with microscopic demonstration models such as the Van der Graf generator.

First answer by ID2458010254. Last edit by Johnny3h. Contributor trust: 506 [recommend contributor]. Question popularity: 72 [recommend question]