The rolling of thunder occurs due to-

Correct option is B

The correct answer is (b) Successive reflections of sound from a number of reflecting surfaces such as clouds and land.
· The phenomenon known as rolling thunder occurs because sound waves created by the lightning discharge reflect off various surfaces such as clouds, the ground, and other nearby objects. These reflections can cause the sound of thunder to be prolonged and to seem as if it is rolling or rumbling.
· Thunder is essentially a sound wave, and because sound waves can be reflected, refracted, and diffracted, the topography and atmospheric conditions (like temperature and wind speed gradients) affect how we hear thunder. The varying distances from different parts of a lightning bolt to an observer also contribute to the varying times at which the sound waves arrive, thus producing the characteristic rolling or rumbling effect.