can you have lightning without thunder

It is not possible to have lightning without thunder. Thunder is the sound caused by the rapid heating and expansion of air due to lightning. However, sometimes people see lightning but do not hear thunder because the lightning strike is too far away. Thunder sounds typically only travel about 10 miles before dissipating, so when lightning occurs at a greater distance, its associated thunder may not be audible. This phenomenon is often called "heat lightning," but the thunder is still there; it just doesn't reach the observer due to distance or atmospheric conditions that can bend or muffle sound waves.