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In a vacuum, sound doesn't exist at all, because it needs some sort of medium through which to travel. (Light, however, can travel in a vacuum.)

In air, at 20 °C (68 °F), sound travels at 343 meters per second. The speed increases with temperature and varies if different gasses are used.

Sound travels much faster in liquids than in air (or any gas). In water, it is about 4.3 times faster than air at 20 °C.

In solids, the speed of sound depends greatly on the type of solid, though is generally faster than in air. In lead, for example, it travels at 1960 m/s, but goes 5640 m/s through glass.

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Q: How does the speed of sound vary in air water solids and a vacuum?
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How does the speed of sound in tap water compare with the speed of sound in pure water?

For a liquid, we find that the speed of sound decreaseswith increasing density but increases with increasing bulk modulus. Increasing the dissolved solids will increase density, but also bulk modulus. In general, bulk modulus will increase "faster" with an increase in dissolved solids than density will increase. And this translates into a net increase in the speed of sound in water with increasing dissolved solids. Tap water has dissolved solids, so the speed of sound in tap water should be higher than it is in pure water at the same temperature and pressure.


What type of waves travel through liquids fastest?

there is no specific wave they all travel faster through water but scientifically speaking sesmic waves do i belive also The speed of sound depends on the medium in which it is transported. The speed of sound is slow in gases, like in air. The speed of sound is faster in liquids, like in water. The speed of sound is fastest in solids, like in metal.


What percentage of the speed of light in vacuum is the speed of light in water?

When light with wavelength of 589 nanometers moves through water at the temperature of 20° C, its speed is 75% of the speed of light in vacuum.


What mach is the speed of light?

The question has no sensible answer: the Mach number is the speed of an object in a medium compared to the speed of sound in the same medium. Light, and other electromagnetic radiation travel fastest in vacuum. Since sound cannot travel in vacuum its speed in vacuum is 0 and so the Mach number for light requires division by zero - which is undefined.The Mach number for light travelling in air is approx 873,300. In water, it is 202,000 and in diamond it is only 10,400.


What is the speed of sound in fresh water?

In fresh water, sound travels at about 1497 m/s at 25 °C.

Related questions

Is the speed of sound in a solid the same as the speed of sound in water?

No, the speed of sound is faster in solids.


How does the speed of sound in tap water compare with the speed of sound in pure water?

For a liquid, we find that the speed of sound decreaseswith increasing density but increases with increasing bulk modulus. Increasing the dissolved solids will increase density, but also bulk modulus. In general, bulk modulus will increase "faster" with an increase in dissolved solids than density will increase. And this translates into a net increase in the speed of sound in water with increasing dissolved solids. Tap water has dissolved solids, so the speed of sound in tap water should be higher than it is in pure water at the same temperature and pressure.


Where is Velocity of sound the most- in air or water or vacuum or in iron?

Sound is a mechanical wave, so it can't travel in vacuum. Sound speed will be higher when the molecules of the material it is traveling are closer to each other, this means that it travels the fastest in solids, medium speed in liquids and slower in gases. In vacuum, the speed of sound is zero. Sound doesn't propagate through vacuum. Shout as loud as you want to, and the sound goes nowhere if there's no medium to carry it. Two astronauts standing next to each other on the surface of the moon can communicate only by radio, or by touching their helmets together.


Where will be speed of light minimum-water or air or vacuum or glass?

The speed of light is minimum in Glass. It is because light travels at minimum speed in solids.


Which type of wave is sound?

Sound is a mechanical wave and must travel through a medium, such as air, water, and solids. Sound waves cannot travel through a vacuum.


Is velocity of sound is maximum in water?

Sound travels fastest through solids. This is because molecules in a solid medium are much closer together than those in a liquid or gas, allowing sound waves to travel more quickly through it. In fact, sound waves travel over 17 times faster through steel than through air. In diamond the speed of sound is fastest. It is c = 12000 m/s.


Is sound travells faster in solid than vacuum?

Sound needs always a medium for transportation. Therefore in vacuum in outer space we cannot hear a sound, like they play us in science fiction films. The speed of sound depends on the medium in which it is transported. The speed of sound is slow in gases, like in air. The speed of sound is faster in liquids, like in water. The speed of sound is fastest in solids, like in metal.


Why is the speed of sound quicker in a vacuum rather than in air?

There is no sound in a vacuum, you need a medium to translate the sound in. Waves on a pond are like sound waves in the air, in this case the water is the medium. Without air there is no sound because there is no medium to translate the sound to your ears.


Does Sound travels faster through liquids and solids?

Sound travels 5 times fast under water then in the air and even faster through solids. For example speed of sound in: Air = 330 m/s Water = 1500 m/s Steel = 6000 m/s


How many times faster is the speed of light in a vacuum than the speed of sound air?

100% - sound is vibration of atoms/molecules - it cannot travel through vacuum ___________________________ The idea of "speed pf sound in a vacuum" is meaningless; sound cannot travel without a medium such as air, water, metal, stone, or SOMETHING. Sound waves are mechanical vibrations; there has to be something to vibrate. The speed of sound in air is around 700 miles per hour, while the speed of light is 186,000 miles per SECOND.


What type of waves travel through liquids fastest?

there is no specific wave they all travel faster through water but scientifically speaking sesmic waves do i belive also The speed of sound depends on the medium in which it is transported. The speed of sound is slow in gases, like in air. The speed of sound is faster in liquids, like in water. The speed of sound is fastest in solids, like in metal.


Sound travels through the air or water or solids by?

sound can travel in all three media(solids liquid and gas)and travels fastest through solids.