Question

Question

How does the speed of a sound wave change based on the density of the medium the wave passes through?
Responses
A In a denser medium, the sound wave will travel faster.In a denser medium, the sound wave will travel faster.
B In a denser medium, the sound wave will travel slower.In a denser medium, the sound wave will travel slower.
C Density does not affect how fast a sound wave will travel.Density does not affect how fast a sound wave will travel.
D In a denser medium, the sound wave will speed up and then slow down.In a denser medium, the sound wave will speed up and then slow down.

Answer 1

The correct response is:

A In a denser medium, the sound wave will travel faster.

However, it's important to note that this can depend on the medium itself. For example, sound travels faster in solids compared to liquids, and faster in liquids compared to gases. Generally, in solids (which are more dense than gases), sound travels faster due to the closer arrangement of particles allowing faster transmission of energy. The relationship between density and the speed of sound is more complex when other factors, like elasticity, are considered. But generally speaking, within a category (for example, comparing gases), increasing density usually leads to slower sound speed, while in solids, it can lead to faster sound speed once the elasticity is suitably high.