Table of Contents
What do sound waves travel most slowly through?
gases
Sound travels most slowly through gases because the molecules of a gas are farthest apart.
What affects sound speed?
The speed varies depending on atmospheric conditions; the most important factor is the temperature. Humidity has little effect on the speed of sound, nor does air pressure by itself. Air pressure has no effect at all in an ideal gas approximation.
Why do sound travel slowest in an open space area?
Sound does not travel at all in space. The vacuum of outer space has essentially zero air. Because sound is just vibrating air, space has no air to vibrate and therefore no sound.
Why does the sound travel fastest in solid and slowest in air?
Sound travels more quickly through solids than through liquids and gases because the molecules of a solid are closer together and, therefore, can transmit the vibrations (energy) faster. Sound travels most slowly through gases because the molecules of a gas are farthest apart.
Which two factors are responsible for speed of sound?
Two main factors affect the speed of sound: the material that makes up the medium—such as air or water—and the temperature. If we know the medium and the temperature, however, we can predict the speed of sound.
Why does sound travel slower at lower temperature?
Sound travels more slowly at lower temperatures than at higher temperatures. In lower temperatures, the particles of a medium move slower than a higher temperature. It is harder for the particles to move and return to their original positions more slowly.
What causes sound to travel in the air?
When a physical object moves in air, it causes vibrations which leads to formation of a series of compression waves in the air. These waves travel in the form of sound.
How does sound travel in a gaseous medium?
At room temperature, sound travels through air with a speed of 343 m/s, through water at 1,482 m/s, and through steel at 5,960 m/s. As you can see, sound waves travel in a gaseous medium at a slow pace because its molecules are loosely bound and have to cover a long distance to collide with another molecule.
How does sound travel away from the original source?
The further away from the original source of a sound you are, the waves lessen until they don’t have the strength to vibrate any other particles. It’s like when you throw a stone into a pond and it makes ripples that make more ripples until it slowly dies out.