3.3.10

The Speed of Sound

Test yourself

Speed of Sound

Sound needs to travel through a medium. The more rigid the medium is, the higher the speed of the sound wave through the medium. The more compressible the medium is, the slower the speed of the sound wave through the medium.

Illustrative background for GasesIllustrative background for Gases ?? "content

Gases

  • Gases are readily compressible (easy to squash), so the speed of sound in a gas is very slow.
Illustrative background for LiquidsIllustrative background for Liquids ?? "content

Liquids

  • Liquids are more rigid and less compressible than gases, so the speed of sound in liquids is much higher than in gases.
Illustrative background for SolidsIllustrative background for Solids ?? "content

Solids

  • Solids are significantly more rigid than liquids and gases and are very hard to compress.
  • Therefore, the speed of sound in solids is much higher than in liquids or gases.

Jump to other topics

1Biology

1.1Cells, Tissues & Organs

1.2Reproduction & Variation

1.3Ecological Relationships & Classification

1.4Digestion & Nutrition

1.5Plants & Photosynthesis

1.6Biological Systems & Processes

2Chemistry

2.1Particles

2.2Chemical Reactions

2.3Atoms, Elements, Compounds

2.4The Periodic Table

2.5Materials & the Earth

2.6Reactivity

2.7Energetics

2.8Properties of Materials

3Physics

3.1Energy

3.2Forces & Motion

3.3Waves

3.4Electricity & Magnetism

3.5Matter

3.6Space Physics

4Thinking Scientifically

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