trovões

Trovões, also known as thunder, are the audible result of lightning. When lightning strikes, it rapidly heats the air surrounding the electrical discharge to temperatures exceeding 27,000 degrees Celsius. This intense heat causes the air to expand explosively, creating a powerful shockwave. This shockwave travels through the atmosphere as sound waves, which we perceive as thunder.

The characteristic rumbling sound of thunder is due to the complex nature of the lightning discharge and the way the sound waves propagate. A single lightning bolt is not a simple point source of sound. Instead, it is a long, jagged channel. Different parts of this channel produce sound waves that reach the observer at slightly different times. This, along with reflections from the ground and other objects, causes the sound to arrive as a series of waves, creating the rumbling effect.

The distance to the lightning strike influences the sound of thunder. A nearby strike will produce a sharp, loud crack, while a distant strike will sound like a low rumble. This is because the higher frequency sounds are absorbed more quickly by the atmosphere, so only the lower frequency sounds travel long distances. By counting the seconds between seeing the lightning flash and hearing the thunder, one can estimate the distance to the storm. Each five seconds of delay roughly corresponds to one mile, or each three seconds to one kilometer.

Thunderstorms can produce a variety of thunder sounds, from sharp cracks to prolonged rumbles. The intensity and duration of thunder are also influenced by atmospheric conditions, such as temperature and humidity. While thunder itself is harmless, it is a clear indicator of lightning activity, which is dangerous.