3.3.8

The Interactions of Sound with Different Mediums

Test yourself

Sound Through Mediums

Sound travels at different speeds through solids, liquids and gases.

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Mediums and vacuums

  • We use the word medium in science to mean solids, liquids or gases that sound can travel through.
  • Sound travels at different speeds through different mediums.
  • Sound travels because of vibrating air molecules. So it cannot travel in space.
  • There are no particles in space, so this is called a vacuum.
  • This means that an exploding spaceship in a sci-fi movie is wrong because there will be no sound.
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Sound through solids

  • Sound travels fastest through solids because the molecules are closer together.
  • As they are closer together, they are able to pass on the vibrations to the next particle.
  • Sound can travel up to 5,000m/s in some solids.
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Sound through liquids

  • Sound can travel up to 1,500 m/s in liquids.
  • Scientists studying whale sounds have noted their songs can travel around 10,000 miles underwater.
  • Humans can hear higher frequencies of sounds underwater because the sounds bypass the middle ear and just vibrate the bone behind the ear.
    • This is why sounds are odd and magnified when you are swimming underwater.
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Sound through gases

  • Sound travels slowest through gases because the particles are furthest apart.
  • Sound will travel 340 m/s in air.
  • You can compare sounds as they travel through air and solids by tapping the table and listening to the sound produced and then resting your ear to the table and tapping again.
    • Which is louder?

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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