What Makes Thunder and Lightning?

💡 Simple Explanation

Inside storm clouds, tiny ice bits and water droplets bump around like bumper cars. All this bumping creates static electricity - the same thing that makes your hair stand up when you rub a balloon on it! When enough electricity builds up, it jumps down to the ground (or to another cloud) as a super bright spark - that's lightning! Lightning is so hot it makes the air explode outward. That explosion is the thunder you hear booming!