Question

select the independent clause.
after a lightning bolt passes through the air, the compression and subsequent rapid expansion of the air molecules produces the booming sound of thunder.
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Explanation:

An independent clause is a group of words that can stand alone as a sentence. It contains a subject and a predicate and expresses a complete thought. In the given sentence, "the compression and subsequent rapid expansion of the air molecules produces the booming sound of thunder" is the independent clause. It has a subject ("the compression and subsequent rapid expansion of the air molecules") and a predicate ("produces the booming sound of thunder") and can stand alone as a complete sentence. The part "After a lightning bolt passes through the air" is a dependent clause as it starts with a subordinating conjunction ("After") and does not express a complete thought on its own.

Answer:

the compression and subsequent rapid expansion of the air molecules produces the booming sound of thunder