Let’s go step by step to answer each question based on the reading passage.
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Question 1: What is lightning?
The passage says:
> “Lightning is electricity. It forms in clouds during a storm.”
So, we can say:
- Lightning is not fire or magic — it’s real electricity.
- It happens when there’s a storm and clouds build up energy.
- That energy jumps as a flash of light — that’s lightning.
✔ So, lightning is electricity that flashes from clouds during a storm.
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Question 2: What happens as lightning travels?
The passage tells us:
> “Lightning can move from cloud to cloud. It can also strike the ground. When that happens, it hits tall objects. It may hit buildings or trees. Lightning can also hit people.”
Also:
> “Lightning is very hot. When it travels, it heats up the air. The very hot air makes a loud noise. That is the thunder that you hear after you see the lightning.”
So, as lightning travels:
- It moves between clouds or down to the ground.
- It hits tall things like trees, buildings, or even people.
- It gets super hot — hotter than the sun!
- That heat makes the air explode with sound → that’s thunder.
✔ As lightning travels, it moves through the sky or to the ground, hits tall objects, heats the air, and causes thunder.
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Question 3: Why do you hear thunder after lightning?
The passage explains:
> “You hear the thunder later because light travels faster than sound.”
Think about it:
- You SEE the lightning first — because light zooms super fast (almost instantly).
- Then you HEAR the thunder — because sound moves much slower through the air.
- So even though they happen at the same time, your eyes get the message before your ears.
✔ You hear thunder after lightning because light travels faster than sound — so you see the flash before you hear the boom.
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Final Answer:
1. Lightning is electricity that forms in clouds during a storm and flashes as a bright light.
2. As lightning travels, it moves from cloud to cloud or strikes the ground, hitting tall objects like trees or buildings. It heats the air, which creates thunder.
3. You hear thunder after lightning because light travels faster than sound — so you see the lightning before you hear the thunder.
Parent Tip: Review the logic above to help your child master the concept of science reading comprehension worksheet.