PREVIOUSLY ASKED IN:
PSC Miscellaneous Prelims 2018
Answer
Solid medium
Explanation
Sound is a mechanical longitudinal wave, meaning it requires a material medium to propagate. It cannot travel through a vacuum. The velocity of sound depends on the density and elasticity of the medium. In solid materials, particles are closely packed together, allowing sound waves to transfer energy much faster than in liquids or gases. Therefore, sound travels fastest in solids, slower in liquids, and slowest in gases.
Key Points
- > Sound velocity is maximum in solid mediums (e.g., in steel, it is approx 5960 m/s).
- > Sound velocity is minimum in gaseous mediums (e.g., in air, it is approx 343 m/s).
- > Sound cannot travel in a vacuum (velocity is zero).
- > As the temperature of the medium increases, the speed of sound also increases.
- > Sound waves are longitudinal mechanical waves.
- > Unlike sound, light travels fastest in a vacuum.
Additional Information
Speed of Sound in Various Media
| Medium | State | Approximate Speed (m/s) |
|---|---|---|
| Steel | Solid | 5960 m/s |
| Iron | Solid | 5950 m/s |
| Water | Liquid | 1482 m/s |
| Air (at 20°C) | Gas | 343 m/s |
| Vacuum | No medium | 0 m/s |
Memory Tips
- The Domino Effect: Imagine molecules as dominoes. In solids, they are packed tightly together, so when one falls, it immediately hits the next. In gases, they are far apart, so it takes longer for the wave to travel.